The deepening poverty across the African continent has created fertile ground for the spread of infectious diseases. Declining living conditions and reduced access to basic services have led to decreased health status.
In Africa today, almost half of the population lacks access to safe water and adequate sanitation services. As immune systems have become weakened, the susceptibility of Africa’s people to infectious diseases has greatly increased.
Meanwhile, the amounts being paid by African governments to foreign creditors continues to increase. By the 1990s, most African countries were spending more repaying foreign debts than on health or education for their people.
In 1997, it was estimated that sub-Saharan African governments were transferring to Northern creditors 4 times what they were spending on the health of their people. In 1998, Senegal spent 5 times as much repaying foreign debts as on health.
The poverty and economic aspect of the various root causes of disease and health problems is less understood or discussed in mainstream media or various medical and scientific circles. Yet, poverty has been described as the number one health problem for many poor nations as they do not have the resources to meet the growing needs.
However, emphasis in the mainstream media and by pharmaceutical companies has been far more on cures rather than prevention.
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