Tropical Disease and Africa

Africa not only lacks economic but the internal infrastructure to deal with the crisis of tropical diseases. Africa also has a refugee problem that increases the population further impoverishing the country.

Part of the problem appears to be an economic one. Poor countries such as Africa are just not big players in the global economy and therefore are not given that much attention by industrialized countries. Other tropical areas (Brunei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Hawaiian Islands and the northern part of Australia) have more stable trade or other economic opportunities like tourism making them capable of providing their citizens and visitors with better opportunities for protection.

Africa not only lacks economic but the internal infrastructure to deal with the crisis of tropical diseases. Africa also has a refugee problem that increases the population further impoverishing the country.

Africa also is sensitive climate-wise. Diseases like malaria, schitosomiasis, river blindness and yellow fever are difficult to control because the lack of seasonal change encourages breeding of mosquitoes. Poor countries do not have the R&D investments needed to combat tropical diseases. Opportunities usually exist for topics that are more wide-spread like balding hair concerns rather than tropical diseases that only affect a smaller number of countries, especially when those countries are poor without political or economic clout.

Two elements that Africa has are the dramatic birth rates and the substandard living conditions of the people of Africa. Workers who do not wish to venture out of doors when mosquitos are active paralyse the economy; this creates unstable work times, contributing to the economic woes of Africa.

American Society For Tropical Medicine And Hygiene The only prevention for dengue fever is to avoid mosquito bites as much as possible by wearing clothing that covers your body (long sleeves and long pants), sleeping in air conditioned rooms, or use a bed netting that is of good quality. You can also use insect repellent. Treatment for dengue fever is to treat the symptoms as there is no cure for dengue fever. American Society For Tropical Medicine And Hygiene

Disease in Africa is not just a health concern; it is a socioeconomic development issue. Tropical disease creates instability within the continent of Africa; high rates of poverty, inadequate nutrition and the inability to recover economically are all by-products of the tropical disease that riddles Africa.

Another contributing factor to Africa's inability to combat tropical disease is that the refugees who come to Africa often comes from countries that do not comply with international laws and guidelines to protect those who seek asylum in other countries. Some countries do not allow their refugees to work, this adds to the poverty problem. Disease runs rampant in the temporary settlements that are set up for refugees (refugee camps) and these places have inadequate water and food supplies. Shelter during the rainy season also poses health conditions that are ideal for the spread of tropical disease due to the unsanitary living conditions.

Africa faces a lack of community cohesiveness, which adds stress and destroys the ability of healthcare workers to initiate community programs.

Malaria is a huge problem in Africa that is aggravated by the fact that it is becoming resistant to antimalarial drugs. Africa needs to control the efforts better by following strategic plans and fostering coordinate partnerships with African scientists and Northern partners. The strategic plans should include future development of new antimalarial drugs, the understanding of the pathogens that cause malaria, vector dynamics and the logistics of the spread of the disease.