NEW YORK -- Persistent poverty in most African countries is seriously effecting the health and quality of life for children and adults. Diarrheal and respiratory infections, measles, malaria and perinatal pose the most serious threats to children's lives, while HIV/AIDS and malnutrition cast an ominous shadow. Malnutrition underlines most diseases and makes them more serious.
Problems at childbirth are a significant cause of mortality among women of childbearing age. It is estimated that African women are 175 times more likely to die during childbirth and pregnancy than women in industrialized countries. Most women's deaths and disabilities in these conditions are the result of delays in recognizing complications, difficulty in reaching a medical facility or lack of adequate medical care. Skilled health attendants are vital for recognizing and preventing medical emergencies.
In adult women and men, HIV/AIDS is a not only a growing health burden but also has a significant demographic, social and economic impact in practically all sub-Saharan African countries. While the bubonic plague is estimated to have killed around 30 million people in medieval Europe, projections by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that, by 2010, sub-Saharan African countries will have 71 million fewer people than they would have had without the impact of AIDS.