Poverty and Poor Health

36 million deaths each year are caused by diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and lung diseases. This is almost 2/3 of the 56 million deaths every year. Numerous deaths occurs because of the unavailability of health care resources. Poverty and poor health are closely linked. Poverty creates poor health because it forces people to live in environments that make them sick, without clean water or decent shelter. Infectious diseases weaken and even kill millions of the poorest people every year.

People living in poverty have to make harsh choices regarding their health. For example, many people knowingly put their health and well-being at risk because they cannot bear to see their children starve. Furthermore, people living in poverty are unable to afford health care and doctors' fees. The cost of drugs and transportation to reach a health center is oftentimes too expensive for the poor to afford. As a result, sometimes, children are pulled out of school to help earn money for the sick person. The burden of caring for a sick person is usually a female relative's job. This can have a long-term impact on the woman's opportunities later in life and her own health. Most of the time, the sick person would end up losing their life because they do not have access to basic medication for curable diseases/sicknesses.

According to Boafesta, cattle are hope to him. He talks about the many health issues where he live in. Emphasizing the link between poor health and poverty, Boafesta says, "When disease comes there is no way out but to sell one of the cows. From the time I was born until now, I have lived on produce from the field. But drought is now putting that under threat. What gives us hope is cattle." Selling his cattle is how Boafesta deals with poor health.

Sites Used:
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/587/health-issues
http://www.who.int/hdp/poverty/en/
http://www.healthpovertyaction.org/policy-and-resources/the-cycle-of-poverty-and-poor-health/the-cycle-of-poverty-and-poor-health1/
http://panos.org.uk/resources/boafesta-cattle-are-hope/