MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS

Elizabeth Kroll,

You have correctly identified the most prevalent diseases in Kenya, which are diarrhea, respiratory conditions, and malaria. Over the past decades, there is reduced neonatal and mortality cases, which is attributed to improved reproductive health and accessibility to maternity and immunization services (Shann and Germer et al. 2014). Most newborn deaths are due to preventable causes of diarrhea caused by poor hygiene and sanitation. Respiratory cases are caused by occupational hazards such as dust, pollen, and inhalation of chemicals. According to the Center for Disease Control, pneumonia remains to be the common cause of death among the under-five population ahead of poor nutrition, diarrhea and malaria, and lack of vaccinations.

The government is directing its efforts in preventing infectious diseases through the provision of safe drinking water, ensuring proper waste disposal, adequate and balanced nutrition, and ensuring improved housing. They work closely with the health care personnel at the village and community level, making use of the available resources. They create awareness through health education on causal and preventive factors.

References

Shann, F., Germer, S., Hazlett, D., Gratten, M., Linnemann, V., & Payne, R. (2014). Etiology of pneumonia in children. The Lancet, 324(8402), 537-541.

Sara Huisman,

You have clearly outlined the cause of maternal mortality in Sudan, which is attributed to the lack of professional assistance during delivery. It is genuinely shocking that, until now, about 50% of its women still deliver in homes without the aid of skilled birth attendants. I think the government should aim at improving the reproductive services and availing more trained personnel in the health facilities. Programs should be established whereby women are taught on the value of seeking health services, attending antenatal clinics, danger signs, and exclusive breastfeeding to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths.

HIV/AIDS is also a crisis in the country, but its prevalence has reduced over the past decades. The UNDP focused on reducing HIV transmission and mortality by creating educational programs, availing ARV therapy, and following up cases to ensure drug adherence and proper nutrition for the affected people. According to Mohamed, & Mahfouz (2017), HIV/AIDS is prevalent among the vulnerable groups such as the overcrowded people, prisoners and low-income families hence the should the government focus on them to attain MDG6 which aims at eliminating cases of malaria, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases

References

Mohamed, B. A., & Mahfouz, M. S. (2017). Factors associated with HIV/AIDS in Sudan. BioMed research international, 2013.

Celleana Gibbs,

Ecuador has reported low mortality rates, but it is clear that infant mortality rates are still high hence the need to establish the causal factors. In 2015, respiratory distress was established as the leading cause of death in newborns in conjunction with disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight. According to Romero-Sandoval et al. (2019), infant mortality is attributed to multiple genetics, environmental, and socioeconomic factors such as poverty and illiteracy. The government has developed policies of inclusion to improve education and foster equity and poverty reduction, which has immensely reduced the infant mortality rates in the past decades.

Apart from aiming to reduce poverty levels, free and accessible medical services have helped in the achievement of this goal. The challenge of attaining MDG2 is due to the limited health services in rural areas. Failure to direct services to the target population and forgetting that the rural areas lack quality health services has led to continued deaths of infants. The government should focus on deploying more health staff to rural areas and providing quality maternity services, immunization, and eliminating preventable health risks.

Reference

Romero-Sandoval, Natalia, Alcazar, Diego Del, Pastor, Jacob, & Martín, Miguel. (2019). Ecuadorian infant mortality linked to socioeconomic factors during the last 30 years. Revista Brasileira de Saúde Materno Infantil, 19(2), 295-301. Epub July 22, 2019.https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-93042019000200003

Genevieve Tanga,

The measures you have identified that help prevent maternal deaths are remarkable. Most of the procured abortions in India are due to the underutilization of family planning services, especially among teenagers (Visaria, Jejeebhoy & Merrick, 2019). Parents should be open and friendly towards their children and teach them on sexuality and the changes they undergo in puberty since most of them get pregnant early. Family planning services should be utilized to avoid unwanted pregnancies and also help health-risk mothers to plan their pregnancies well.

Incorporating comprehensive antenatal, MCH, and PMTCT services will ensure that reproductive health services are easily accessible and effective. Women should also be encouraged to deliver in hospitals for proper management of complications and promote a positive outcome for both the mother and infant. Other prevalent mortality cases are caused by heart diseases, diabetes, and hypertensive disorders, which are aggravated by poor lifestyles. These conditions are easily managed by living healthier lives through proper diet and exercising.

References

Visaria, L., Jejeebhoy, S., & Merrick, T. (2019). From family planning to reproductive health: challenges facing India. International family planning perspectives, S44-S49.