Test Yourself on Deadly Disease in the Developing World

Pneumonia. Described as “the forgotten killer”, pneumonia is the largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide. More children die from pneumonia then malaria, AIDS and measles combined. The good news is you can act now to stop future deaths. Pneumonia is easily treatable with inexpensive antibiotics.

Source: WHO

Just under half of all child deaths—45 per cent—are linked to malnutrition. Being undernourished puts kids at a greater risk of dying from common infections like diarrhoea. It means they fall seriously ill more often and take longer to recover. You can help kids access nutritional support through the Medical fund.

Source: WHO

It’s not lack of food, but diarrhoeal disease that’s the leading cause of malnutrition in young children. Diarrhoea isn’t a serious condition in Australia, yet globally it is the second biggest cause of death in children under five. Poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water are the biggest contributors. It’s a vicious cycle: diarrhoea can cause malnutrition, and malnutrition makes kids more vulnerable to future cases of diarrhoea.

Source: WHO

Tanzania has just 30 doctors per one million people. Togo and Burkina Faso fare only slightly better at 50 doctors per one million people. In Australia, the same statistic is 3,270 per one million. The health worker shortage in sub-Saharan Africa means children in rural and regional areas struggle to access healthcare. Find out how you can help so that no matter where they live, children can access the medical treatment they need.

Source: The World Factbook

Ebola is transmitted to humans from wild animals, then spreads through human-to-human transmission. Malaria and dengue fever are transmitted by mosquitoes. Together, they are responsible for millions of deaths each year. The good news is Compassion regularly distributes thousands of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and you can help a child recover safely from these potentially deadly diseases.

Source: WHO

Tuberculosis. Around 95 per cent of new cases of tuberculosis (TB) are in the developing world. The risk of contracting TB is associated with malnutrition, overcrowding, poor air circulation and poor sanitation: all are found in impoverished communities.

The average tuberculosis patient loses three to four months of work time and up to 30 per cent of their yearly household income. Sometimes, children need to quit school because there is no money for uniforms or fees, or because they need to support their family. Help ease a family’s suffering in times of sickness.

Source: WHO, Action

These diseases are not common in Australia, yet HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis account for nearly 18 per cent of all diseases in the world’s poorest countries. Each one is treatable, yet millions of people die each year because they can’t afford medical care.

Source: WHO

Just under a third of the world’s population don’t have access to existing medicines, with the number rising to 50 per cent in the poorest parts of Asia and Africa. This means that 10 million children die unnecessarily each year from treatable diseases like diarrhoea, measles, malaria and sickness related to malnutrition.

Source: WHO

Last financial year, the Medical fund was accessed more than 250,000 times by children in our programs. It is a lifeline to children facing ongoing sickness, pain and even death. Whether it’s a critical illness, an accident or an infection, your gift will help stop the suffering of a child in poverty.