Diseases Due to Poverty

Source of photo- Poverty

Because of the lack of money and supplies many diseases and illnesses are very common in third world countries. Some of the most common diseases are Pneumonia, Diarrhea, Tuberculosis and Malaria .

Pneumonia- Is a form of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI)and it kills over 2 million people every year. Pneumonia is a very contagious disease and is transmitted when the infected person coughs or sneezes droplets that contain the disease in to the air. The reasons that pneumonia is so common in poorer is that there such a small supply of doctors, hospitals and health centres for treatment.

Diarrhea- Diarrhea kills approximately 1.6 million people every year. Sadly enough most of these victims are children. Healthy people can overcome this disease in a couple of hours or days at most. But when a weak, malnourished person contracts the disease it can be fatal. They lose huge of amounts of fluids and salts and become dehydrated. This can continue until the person actually dies of dehydration.

Tuberculosis- Tuberculosis is highly contagious and is spread through the air when an infected person coughs. People with tuberculosis infect about 10-15 new people every year. Tuberculosis kills about 1.5 million people every year, unfortunately most of those killed by this illness are in third world countries.

Malaria- Is a disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes and it causes severe fever and exhaustion for up to weeks on end. Abot 90% of malaria cases are in Africa. Although it is a dangerous disease it is easily preventable. By buying a $6 dollar mosquito net the chances of getting the disease is dramatically reduced.

Although many eforts are ongoing to try and prevent disease in thirdworld countries millions people still die.