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Nutrition, Health and Population
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Statistics Database
Nutrition, Health and Population Links
World Child Hunger Facts
There are a number of key health issues for developing countries, especially in Africa. They include malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and avian flu. This page provides current developments on these issues as well as background.
Nutrition See also Hunger Notes special report on the food and hunger crisis
Indian schoolchildren receive a free midday meal at a government school in Jammau. Photo: Washington Post
India wakes up to child malnutrition ‘shame,’ begins to make progress Simon Denyer Washington Post December 26, 2012
Five reasons malnutrition still kills in Nepal IRIN News December 14, 2012
Is nutrition getting the attention it deserves? IRIN News October 31, 2012
The "unfinished business" of lowering child mortality IRIN News September 12, 2012
USAID nutritionist leaves legacy of saving lives Margie Ferris-Morris Hunger Notes September 12, 2012
Global mortality among children younger than five years declined by 26 percent between 2000 and 2010 - meaning that the lives of some two million children were saved - but this is still not enough for many countries to meet the Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths in this age group by two-thirds by 2015. Photo: Guy Oliver/IRIN
Child survival up, but not enough IRIN News May 11, 2012
Breastfeeding babies is vital, say experts."Some of the [Nestle] marketing strategy presents formula as better than breastfeeding,” Laurence Gray, World Vision’s Asia-Pacific advocacy director, told IRIN. However, in developing countries, formula is frequently prepared in unhygienic circumstances with unsafe water and misunderstood instructions, with bad results for babies. “In poor nations, formula-fed infants are four to six times more likely to die of infectious disease than breastfed babies," said Gray. "The problem is not with the formula, but with the preparation," he added. Photo: UNICEF
Laos: NGOs flay Nestlé’s infant formula marketing, some of which presents infant formula as better than breastfeeding
IRIN News June 23, 2011
See Wikipedia Nestlé boycott
for historical background on this issue.
Lambo, 3, with his grandmother and mother, Samina Tahiaritsoa, at the Centre for Treatment of Acute Malnutrition with Complications (CRENI) in the town of Amboasary Sud. According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), two out of three Malagasy live in poverty and 50 percent of children younger than five have stunted growth due to malnutrition. "Above all, it's the poverty that's causing this," said CRENI's head doctor, Samuel Rasaivaonirina, adding that most wage earners support an average household of 10 people on just $10 a month. Photo: Hannah McNeish/IRIN
Madagascar: Poverty and malnutrition on sisal plantations IRIN News June 23, 2011
Planting for the future Carrie Madren The Interpreter May 16, 2011
Vitamin A program deficiency highlights primary care needs Paula Smith-Vanderslice Hunger Notes November 26, 2010 See full report
HIV infection, leading to AIDS, is a major world problem, especially in Africa. In addressing the problem of HIV infection, there have been major concerns.
The first major concern is that African people and governments have been unable to afford the level of care available in the United States and other developed countries, where (expensive) anti-retroviral therapy has not cured HIV/AIDS, but has permitted substantially longer life for those infected. In the last several years this has been partially addressed by two major developments. First is a significant increase in developed country assistance. The second is the (partial) resolution of international property rights disputes over anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, which has permitted a substantial reduction in the cost of ARV drugs supplied in developing countries.
The second major concern is the persistence of behavior patterns that permit HIV infection. The three principal ways of HIV infection are by sexual contact, though blood transmission (by drug users sharing the same needle, and by medical procedures, especially blood transfusion, not adopting proper safeguards) and by mother to child transmission. Sexual contact is the major means of HIV infection, with mother to child transmission a consequence of sexual contact. HIV testing will alert HIV-positive people that they are HIV positive, and ideally they will take measures to protect their sexual partners against infection, and to not have children or to take measures to reduce the possibility of HIV infection in the newborn.
Global prevalence of HIV 2009
Grey: No data or <.1% .Light pink: 1% – <.5% .Darker Pink 5% – <1% Darkest pink/very light red: 1% – <5% Red: 5% – <15% >Darkest red15% – 28%
Source: UN AIDS Report 2010 Ch. 2 Epidemic http://www.unaids.org/documents/20101123_GlobalReport_Chap2_em.pdf
New HIV cases falling in some poor nations, but treatment still lags Donald G McNeil Jr New York Times November 20, 2012
Breaking the cycle of HIV, hunger and poverty World Food Program July 24, 2012 Everything’s different (almost) since last international AIDS conference in US David Brown Washington Post July 21, 2012
Fund halts new grants for AIDS, TB and malaria treatment in poor countries as developed country contributions drop David Brown Washington Post November 23, 2011
Report cites dramatic drop in AIDS deaths worldwide David Brown Washington Post November 21, 2011 See full report.
Fall in funding raises question mark over future of global fight against Aids: International financing for HIV programs in developing nations worldwide has fallen 10% (opinion) Claire Provost Poverty Matters Blog August 19, 2011
Other diseases and health concerns
"For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt, I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored?" - Jeremiah 8:21-22
Pakistan polio drive suspended after 8 health workers killed by extremists (video) BBC News December 19, 2012 Getting polio campaigns back on track (analysis) Donald G McNeil Jr New York Times December 24, 2012 See other health and nutrition stories
A man at the Yamuna River, an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. Filthy standing water abounds in New Delhi. Photo:Enrico Fabian/New York Times
As dengue fever sweeps India, a slow response stirs experts’ fears Gardiner Harris New York Times November 6, 2012
Fears over climate change impact on neglected tropical diseases IRIN News November 5, 2012
In pictures: Sierra Leone's cholera outbreak BBC News September 28, 2012
Beyond 7 billion: The coming wave of population growth will reshape the planet, and the impact will be greatest in the poorest, most unstable countries (series) Kenneth R Weiss Los Angeles Times August 2012 After 14 years, Philippines moves forward with bill to improve contraceptive access Floyd Whaley New York Times August 6, 2012
Family planning summit focuses on mother and child survival IRIN News July 13, 2012
Study says meeting contraceptive needs could cut maternal deaths by a third Sabrena Tavernise New York Times July 9, 2012
Ethiopia: Too many deaths in childbirth The Guardian May 5, 2012
US lags in global measure of premature births Donald G McNeil Jr. New York Times May 2, 2012
In Haiti, global failures on a cholera epidemic Deborah Sontag New York Times March 31, 2012
The planned budget increase would lift annual spending on health to 2.5 percent of the country’s economic output, from 1.4 percent. The increase is aimed at giving free medicine to all Indians at government facilities, setting up free ambulances in rural areas, doubling the number of trained health workers, and lifting millions of young children and women out of chronic malnutrition and preventable deaths. Photo: New York Times
India plans big increase in health-care spending to catch up to rivals Rama Lakshmi Washington Post March 9, 2012 View photo gallery
Malaria accounts for 20% of childhood deaths in Africa. Photo: Getty Images
Malaria deaths fall over 20% worldwide in last decade BBC News October 18, 2011
A special child (opinion) Dan Shaughnessy World Hunger Education Service August 3, 2011
The delivery room of a hospital in Arua, Uganda. The 400-bed hospital has a shortage of doctors and midwives and lacks many basic medical supplies. More Photos Tadej Znidarcic/New York Times
Maternal deaths focus harsh light on Uganda Celia W. Dugger New York Times July 28, 2011
Clinics like this one in Tumbu have been jammed since Sierra Leone ended some fees in 2010 Photo: Sven Torfinn/New York Times
Sierra Leone government eliminates medical fees for children and pregnant women, resulting in huge increase in patients Adam Nossiter New York Times July 17, 2011 More nutrition and health stories
Recent infections have made Chad the country with the highest number of polio cases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Two drops of oral polio vaccine, shown being administered to a child, given several times at a young age can protect a child for life. Weak coordination, supervision and monitoring; a defective cold-chain; and poor communications are some of the "main problems" with polio immunizations in Chad, according to a new Chad government plan to improve coverage. Photo: UNICEF Chad/2011/Esteve
Chad: Children unprotected as polio spreads IRIN News June 21, 2011 Congo: Measles kills 32, infects hundreds IRIN News June 21, 2011 More nutrition and health stories
Garbage floating on stagnant water, a situation that promotes disease. A new government study indicates that the water was unsafe to drink in 82 percent of water sources tested in districts across all four of Pakistan's provinces. Photo: Kamila Hyat/IRIN
Pakistan: Unsafe water kills 250,000 children a year IRIN News April 19, 2011
Global stillbirths: 2.6 million a year, overlooked and often preventable David Brown Washington Post April 13, 2011
2010 other diseases and health problem stories
2010 Nutrition, Health and Population Hunger Notes Home Page
