Health Issues in Africa

Health Issues in Africa

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South Africa: Mine Dumps Increase Asthma Risk

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Studies in South Africa have revealed that living close to a mine or exposure to mine dust is a risk factor for asthma, as well as other respiratory and bronchial illnesses.

Mining is a major industry in South Africa, with materials such as gold and coal having helped to boost the country’s economy. However, there are some problems with the industry, among them, being the potential health hazards. In particular, mine dumps, when mines dump large amounts of crushed, sandy refuse, are a point of concern. Two studies by Vusumuzi Nkosi, Janine Wichmann, and Kuki Voyi published in 2014 and 2015 examined the effects mine dumps had on nearby communities and the prevalence of illnesses such as asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and respiratory diseases. One study looked at the health of adolescents, while the other examined the elderly.

Writing in The Conversation, Nkosi, Special Scientist in Public Health for the South African Medical Research Council, said that the researched showed “exposure to mine dust or living close to a mine is a risk factor for asthma.” It revealed that there was a higher prevalence of asthma symptoms in children compared to studies in cities such as Cape Town. Older people near mine dump sites were also more likely to show asthma symptoms compared to similar studies carried out in the US.

This issue is one that affects many in South Africa, with around 1.6 million people living on or next to mine dumps. These often poor and marginalized populations already face other issues in relation to poor health and access to healthcare. However, even taking other factors into account, the two studies still found a clear link between mine dumps and respiratory conditions. The growth of asthma rates in South Africa is putting pressure on the health system, making it imperative to look for solutions.

Nkosi suggests that the answer lies in long-term solutions for dust control. He says that research should be carried out to determine the determine and implement the best solutions. Previous attempts by mining companies to solve the problem have not been sufficient. For example, spraying mining dumps is often rendered useless when the water quickly dries up. Rehabilitating areas by growing grass, designed to catch the dust, only works until the dry season kills the grass. Nkosi offers the possibility of buffer zones between mining areas and settlements.

As populations close to mining areas continue to grow, asthma and other respiratory conditions could become a greater burden on the health system. It’s important to address this issue before it creates an even larger burden, contributing to that of non-communicable diseases in the country.

Asthma is not the only concern, either. Mine dump often contains toxic heavy metals and, in communities like those in Soweto, Johannesburg, it is killing plants and animals, as well as directly affecting people’s health. Both mining companies and the government need to take action to find solutions for the people living in these communities. However, some mining companies deny that there is a problem.

Nigeria: Using Technology to Improve Healthcare

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Technology is being employed all over the world to improve healthcare. In Nigeria, technology is being hailed as the answer to poor healthcare by experts. The Future of Health Summit was held by Philips Africa and Forbes Africa, designed to provide an event to discuss Nigerian and African investment in healthcare technology. A survey recently carried out by Royal Philips revealed that the expectations Nigerians hold of their healthcare system don’t line up with the care that they receive. Only 36 percent of Nigerians think that their healthcare needs are met by the current system, but experts at the Future of Health Summit think that technology can change that.

In particular, preventative care was highlighted as a major area that needs focus. Chief Executive Officer of Philips Africa, Jasper Westerink, said that a more sustainable healthcare system could be created with more work and investment put into preventative care. He said that “The results also reinforce the need for the national government to invest a significant percentage of its healthcare budget towards medical research, preventive care, acute care and general health education.”

Philips wants to raise awareness of how lifestyle factors can influence health. Using technology, they can encourage healthier lifestyle habits. Philips manufactures both hospital-grade technology and gadgets that can be used in the home, from smart toothbrushes to air filters.

Speaking to The Guardian, one of the issues that Westerink has highlighted is the importance of early detection. Screening for health problems using imaging solutions and early detection methods helps to prevent and manage illnesses and other issues. He has suggested that telehealth and remote health could play an important role, making health services more accessible to a wider range of people. This can be used in combination with artificial intelligence, which helps to reduce the need for medical professionals being present everywhere. He says that even people who aren’t medically trained can be taught to carry out scans and perform other tasks, and full-sized medical equipment isn’t necessary to do these things.

Speaking at the Future of Healthcare Summit, Westerink said, “We believe that sustainable healthcare development requires a system-wide approach, combining technology, capacity-building including training, service and maintenance, as well as long-term financing. To that end, we aim to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare across the country and compliment significant efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s growing health sector.”

Another issue raised at the event included the problem of brain drain from African countries – Nigeria’s smart, educated professionals in not just medicine but science, technology and other areas are choosing to find work elsewhere. One of the answers to this could lie in technology. Offering better access to technology, along with higher wages, better benefits and improved working environments could encourage Nigeria’s smartest to stay, instead of choosing to build their lives overseas.

Clare Omatseye, President of Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, said that “With technology being a major driver of change, especially today when patients are digitally empowered, healthcare solutions must be incorporated into everyday innovations and meet patients at their point of need.”

The Greatest Health Issue In Africa Today Is Not What You Would Expect

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If you pay attention to latest news stories, you might assume that the biggest issues for Africa are communicable diseases such as Ebola or yellow fever. While diseases like this are certainly a concern, it is worth pointing out that Africa is slowly but surely finding the solutions to these problems. Take Ebola for instance.

In May of 2018, the ninth outbreak of Ebola in the Congo seemed to be at risk of spreading to Mbandaka, a city with a population of 1.2 million. However, there has recently been promising updates in this area. For instance, experimental drugs are being used to treat the disease, including a vaccine known as rVSV-ZEBOV. This vaccine is being used to treat people with the condition in rural areas as well as cities. As such, there is hope for the future of treatments for communicable diseases in Africa.

So, if this isn’t the main problem that the continent is facing, what is? The answer lies in the current growth of noncommunicable diseases or NCDs.

The Thread Of NCDs

This includes cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Recent reports reveal that NCDs are responsible for 50% of the deaths in many countries across Africa.

Indeed, by 2030 the World Health Organisation believes that the toll will be equal to the number of deaths caused by communicable diseases, malnutrition, and newborn deaths totalled. The WHO has also revealed that there are several key factors causing the growth of this issue in Africa. For instance, adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and a greater level of prosperity will have an impact with a recent report in the New York Times revealing that obesity could become a new epidemic in the continent. This is combined with the fact that an estimated two billion people across the world cannot get the medicines that they need.

Government Response

African governments are responding to the threat of NCDs in their countries, and one of the main ways that they are tackling this issue is with education. They are hoping that by providing the public with information about physical inactivity, high levels of drinking and even smoking that they can prevent the rise of some of these conditions.

However, the World Bank believes that treatment will still become an important aspect of expenditure for Africa in the next few years.

Ultimately, it is going to be important to ensure that the public can gain access for the treatment that will be necessary as these conditions continue to grow and develop. One of the issues with this is the cost. It is true that low government spending can lead to problems with the supply of drugs and medicine needed for noncommunicable diseases.

There are various solutions to this issue including value-based pricing. Introducing value-based pricing, the cost of treatment for health issues is determined by the impact that that particular treatment could have on the prosperity levels or even the economy of the country. This is just one of the potential solutions that should be explored when attempting to solve the growing problem of NCDs in the future.

 

How the Ebola Outbreak in May 2018 Will Differ From the Past

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On the 8th of May 2018, another Ebola epidemic was declared by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, around 54 patients have presented symptoms of hemorrhagic fever with 35 confirmed Ebola cases. There have also been 25 deaths with 12 of them being confirmed as being caused by Ebola. The outbreak currently rages on in the city of Mbandaka and the health zones of Bikoro and Iboko.

The History of Ebola in DRC

This marks the ninth outbreak in DRC in the past 40 years, but previous outbreaks were isolated to remote areas. This time, patients have been diagnosed with Ebola in Mbandaka, a Congo River port city which has over a million inhabitants. Such a big city means that there is a higher risk of the virus spreading. Luckily, surveillance is a top priority now compared to past outbreaks, and only four lab-confirmed patients have been identified in Mbandaka.

While there is certainly the potential for a huge outbreak to occur, the epidemic has yet to spread throughout the city. With careful monitoring, it’s possible to isolate the spread of the outbreak and keep it from infecting too many people.

Fear of the Past

These fears harken back to the West African Ebola virus epidemic that lasted from 2013 till 2016. It was the most widespread outbreak of Ebola in history with 28,616 cases and 11,310 confirmed deaths. Around 36 cases and 15 deaths occurred outside of West Africa when it spread to other countries.

However, since then, much progress has been made to help deal with the outbreak and prevent it from spreading to a city inhabited by over a million people.

Africa is Prepared

Authorities are already distributing the experimental Ebola vaccine rVSV-ZEBOV in Mbandaka. When the West African Ebola outbreak occurred, researchers were already in the early stages of developing a possible vaccine but could only test it during the final stages of the outbreak. Between 2015 and 2016, the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine was used to treat patients in Guinea as part of a vaccination program.

The major difference between now and the past is that Africa is now ready for Ebola. While much more research is needed to cover all five known Ebola virus species, the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine targets the Zaire group of strains. The vaccine can be given not just to the people of Africa, but also to health care workers who are at risk of spreading the virus.

With a vaccine ready in the early stage of the outbreak, we will hopefully see fewer deaths that have been caused by Ebola. Unfortunately, a cure is still in development and while there are experimental drugs available, there are no licensed antiviral medicines that can be used against it. This is why Africa is now taking a pre-emptive approach in order to tackle the threat of Ebola.

To conclude, Africa is currently going through another Ebola epidemic that has many people worried. Thankfully, the continent is more prepared than ever to tackle the threat. However, researchers will still need to be vigilant, as every outbreak teaches new lessons that have to be remembered to make the future safer.