Healthcare

AIDS/HIV virus and malaria are amongst serious healthcare issues affecting Africa that have hit endemic proportions. The HIV virus currently affects more than 22.5 million people in Africa as of 2007 with an estimated 1.7 million additional people infected with HIV during that year*. Sadly, 11 million children have been orphaned by AIDS, and many of them have contracted the virus as well. With limited access to healthcare, especially in rural areas, these children rely on international aid and programs to provide the needed care and funding to survive. Decades of progress in increasing the life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa is being reversed by the detrimental effects caused by AIDS.

Malaria is a disease of the blood that is caused by a parasite transmitted from person to person by certain types of mosquitoes **. It is as simple as draping a 10$ mosquito net over the bed that could reduce the chances of contracting the disease. In addition, education and readily available Malaria prevention tools and vaccines can be the solution to this growing concern.

*source: http://www.avert.org/aafrica.htm

**source:http://www.malarianomore.org/malaria.php