Have you heard of river blindness? Probably not. However hundreds of millions of people in Africa are suffering from this. Furthermore, there’s a cure that would cost fifty cents per US citizen. (Wu) So then why isn’t it resolved? The answer is because of the lack of media attention. Without widespread attention to river blindness and other neglected tropical diseases in South Africa, people worldwide are ignorant of the diseases’ devastating impact.
The approximately twenty neglected tropical diseases existing in the world do not cause immediate death but rather prolonged suffering through disabilities such as blindness or severe pain, according to Katherine Wu a biologist and science communicator from Harvard. (Wu) In South Africa, there are many people suffering from tropical disease Bilharzia. Also known as snail fever, this illness comes from worms entering the gastrointestinal tract and causing great pain while urinating. Snail fever can lead to bladder cancer. (Mawyer) With diseases such as these rampant in South Africa, the nation’s economy is impacted as well. Heightened awareness through media has quickly snuffed other maladies’ growth in South Africa. However, because the United States is not aware of the extent of these neglected tropical diseases, and also not experiencing them first-hand, US government and charities do not help provide the resources and attention that these illnesses require in order to be studied, treated, and contained.
In South Africa, many of the common maladies go unnoticed because the major fatal diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Ebola receive the big headlines and thus the resources in efforts to contain them. (“Encouraging”) This attention has helped the people of South Africa in the past. From 2010 to 2017 the number of new HIV infections dropped by 49%. (“South Africa”) Though AIDS indeed warrants attention, the US can’t ignore the millions of people affected by these other diseases in South Africa. There are 2.58 million people suffering from Bilharzia and not one of them has been treated. (“South Africa and”) The lack of treatment is not because there isn’t one. There is. According to a report by the Encyclopedia of Public Health, the pill Praziquantel works to fight all types of Bilharzia effectively. (Mawyer) This is where media attention is crucial. Without the widespread knowledge of this issue, aid will not be delivered and thus no progress will be made to contain and cure the diseases.
Due to the significant number of people infected by these tropical diseases, the people of South Africa are suffering financially as well as physically. The discomfort and pain that Bilharzia causes are so severe that people are not able to work to make a living. Especially in South Africa where families depend on every bit of income, the debilitating tropical disease wreaks a significant economic deficit. (Mawyer) The relative ease of a solution is ironic; every US dollar spent on preventing neglected tropical diseases yields approximately $50 through higher levels of economic productivity. (Wu)
The lack of media attention in South Africa has led to the slip of disease control, and to the contamination of several people that could have been prevented. As well, it has been a cause of people becoming poorer. As Wu articulates, “Without drastic increases in funding and public awareness, the plight of people affected by the neglected tropical diseases is unlikely to budge any time soon” (Wu). A cure is possible, the financing of a cure is within reach, and the economy of South Africa could once again self-perpetuate. Worldwide awareness through media attention could trigger this chain of progress.
Works Cited:
"Encouraging spotlight on healthcare." New African, July 2017, p. 4. Global Issues in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A500823054/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=7f08a83b. Accessed 19 Mar. 2019.
Mawyer, Ruth E., and Leslie Mertz. "Schistosomiasis." The Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health, edited by Laurie J. Fundukian, vol. 2, Gale, 2013, pp. 821-824. Global Issues in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX2760500226/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=4c8b621e. Accessed 25 Mar. 2019
“South Africa.” UNAIDS, 15 Mar. 2019, www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/
“South Africa and Neglected Tropical Diseases.” Uniting to Combat NTDs, unitingtocombatntds.org/africa/south-africa/.
Wu, Katherine J. “The Diseases We Ignore.” Pacific Standard, 30 Oct.2017, psmag.com/socialjustice/the-diseases-we- choose-not-to-cure.
Good article. I particularly like your attention to the facts and your means of presenting them as a fluid part of the article itself. It really brings a new level of cleanliness to the piece and is quite nice.
ReplyDeleteI really like that you focused on lesser known diseases - it was really interesting to read about! One thing I learned from your article is that these diseases aren't incurable or anything; the US could easily fund a cure, but it doesn't because there isn't enough publicity. So, how would Africa be able to publicize lesser known diseases?
ReplyDeleteI have a follow up question. What do you predict will occur if the United States chooses to fund more support to the little-known diseases you mentioned in your article (based on your research and educated opinion)? You mention self-perpetuation, but what does that entail and how quickly will it resolve?
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that drew me to your article was your title which is both hilarious and applies to your topic really well. I also really like how you used statistics to illustrate how dangerous the lesser known diseases are. My main take away is that because the media does not focus one lesser known diseases, these diseases, even if they are more serious that the "popular" diseases, are not being treated. How can we convince the media that these diseases are important?
ReplyDelete