Mind map

Improving Public Health (in Africa)

lpournaras English

Map content

Climate
- 90% of tropical diseases occur in Africa
- organisms that cause diseases thrive on tropical weather
- insects that carry diseases thrive on tropical weather
Disease
- malaria
  - carried by mosquitos
  - causes flu-like symptoms
  - began as an epidemic, then became a pandemic
  - can be treated
    - draining or treating water where insects breed
    - sleeping under mosquito nets treated with chemicals to kill insects
- some are infectious (spread rapidly)
Poverty
- contributes to the spread of disease
- lack of money (cannot buy...)
  - mosquito nets
  - screened windows
  - technology for draining insect breeding grounds
- raises the rates of other infections
  - overcrowding
  - poor sanitation
  - contaminated water
The Fight Against Disease
- common diseases
  - malaria
  - HIV/AIDS
  - yellow fever
- vaccines
  - treatments designed to increase immunity, or resistance, to a particular disease
- organizations are helping to find cures for diiseases
  - non-profits
    - Malaria No More
    - World Health Center
    - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation