An analysis of information released by the World Health Organization reveals that the concepts of blue marble health extend beyond neglected tropical diseases to also include “the big three diseases”: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
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We find the under-five childhood deaths particularly instructive. Of the almost four million children between the ages of one and 59 months who tragically died before their time, almost one-half of them died from infectious diseases, led by lower respiratory infections (708,600), malaria (570,000), or diarrheal disease (474,900).
The Millennium Declaration in 2000 brought special global attention to HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria through the formulation of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6. The Global Burden of Disease 2013 study provides a consistent and comprehensive approach to disease estimation for between 1990 and 2013, and an opportunity to assess whether accelerated progress has occured since the Millennium Declaration. Read the rest of the article here (you have to register but it’s free and takes only a minute)
It is not likely that focusing control efforts on malaria alone will thwart global efforts to sustain malaria control, much less achieve eradication. Ultimately, by reducing anemia in sub-Saharan Africa, linking the NTDs with malaria control would have a major impact on almost all of the Millennium Development Goals . It is some four years since this approach was suggested , but policy makers are only gradually recognizing the benefits of more holistic approaches to tackling the diseases of the poor. An integrated control program for tropical anemia in Africa represents one of our better hopes for a quick win in the fight for sustainable disease control and poverty reduction.
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