Overview

Present Situation

Almost the entire African continent as well as certain areas of Asia are struggling on a variety of major issues, among which combating the deteriorating state of health of their country's population has taken on an ever increasing level of urgency. Especially in view of increasing numbers of HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome) infections, the ever present malaria, a resurfacing of tuberculosis, mother and child morbidity and mortality, and other diseases, especially related to clean water problems such as dysentery, cholera etc., the prime goal of those countries will have to focus on improving the population's health status, in order to allow for a growing number of workers and thus a slowly growing increase of their country's gross national product (GNP).

The state of adult health in Africa, especially in sub-Saharan Africa has actually deteriorated in the last decades, resulting in today's adult mortality rates exceeding those of 30 years ago (World Health Organization, WHO, "The World Health Report 2003"). Furthermore, the level of child mortality in 14 African countries is currently higher than it was in 1990, and, overall, 35% of Africa's children are at a higher risk today than they were 10 years ago.

In the older age group of citizens of developing countries (except in the least developed countries), non-communicable diseases are also on the rise in recent years. Diseases such as diabetes, heart failure and other circulatory illnesses, as well as renal problems, are on a steep increase in most developing countries, crippling the lives of people in the prime of their labour years. These diseases could be combatted effectively with today's medical knowledge and medicines, if diagnosed early and treated appropriately. Otherwise, the present situation will lead to an unbearable loss of capable work force for a country that is still in the dawning stages of its economic development. The World Health Organization, WHO, projects that the incidence of diabetes in the developing world will increase by a staggering 170% by the year 2025. Thus, for example, up to 30% of India's city dwellers will then suffer from diabetes !!

Diseases such as heart disease and others put a heavy burden on less developed countries (LDCs) in a number of ways. For one, "wealthier" individuals suffering these disorders travel to Europe, North America or Asia for medical treatment, causing an often rather substantial financial resource drain on the country by way of a non-productive currency loss. Secondly, the inability of LDCs to treat those diseases at home, leads to a significant loss in national productivity, while concurrently overwhelming the present health delivery services. And finally, the above mentioned costs which are ultimately and actually borne by the donors, prevent an efficient build-up of an economic base in the LDCs.

Especially in the area of health care, there are numerous NGOs as well as governments of developed countries that have invested large sums of money and effort in order to counteract the rising tide of diseases and premature deaths in many of those LDCs. However, a lack of efficiency in delivering the intended services and in utilizing the resources available in a most effective manner, have disillusioned many donors. This has led to a drying out of the necessary stream of funding that the developing country requires to uphold its health, educational and economic development.

Medicine for Africa is designed to change this situation and to raise sufficient funds to improve general health care in selective sub-Saharan countries over the long-term, with results that will proliferate for decades and beyond.