Africa Facts:
- Approx 24.5 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS
- There were approx. 2.7 million new infections last year
- HIV/AIDS claimed nearly 2 million lives last year alone.
- That's almost 5480 lives/day
- More than 12 million children have been orphaned by AIDS
- It's not just about getting drugs and treatments to the people in need, it's also about getting the right help to families and children coping with loss and life.
- 90% of the 300-500 malaria cases that occur worldwide every year are in Africans, mainly in children under 5.
- Only 58% of people living in sub-Saharan Africa have access to safe water supplies.
- Noncommunicable diseases, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and are on the rise; and injuries remain among the top causes of death in the Region.
- HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria kill 6 million people every year; nearly 2 million deaths are caused by TB
- TB is curable, but kills 5000 people every day
- TB is a disease of poverty; virtually all TB deaths occur in the developing world, affecting mostly young adults in their most productive years. TB especially affects the most vulnerable, such as the poorest and malnourished
- TB is a leading killer among HIV-infected people with weakened immune systems; a quarter of a million TB deaths are HIV-associated — most of them in Africa
- 2 billion people — one third of the world's population — are infected with TB bacilli, the microbes that cause TB. 1 in 10 people infected with TB bacilli will become sick with active TB in their lifetime; people with HIV are at a much greater risk.
- Leprosy is close to elimination with less than one case per 10,000 people.
- Polio is close to eradication!
(Sources; UNAIDS, WHO)
These facts are meant to inform you. The more we know, the more we can target our efforts. Small actions can make a difference. Be a wise consumer, there are many social enterprises that seek to support health and rebuilding efforts in many countries. Email us and we'll be happy to share some of the social enterprises that we know are helping. If you are one of them, let us know who you are and we'll post your business on our website.
Links for More Information
:: PBS Kids
:: PBS
:: National Geographic
:: Lonely Planet
:: Africa Guide
:: BBC Africa
A special thanks to the following people who have been a major source of inspiration and motivation for the development of the Shaw Treatment business model.
:: Oprah Winfrey
:: Ryan Hreljac
:: Paul Newman
:: Mr. Louis Tobin, School Teacher
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