Global Health Council
Where the community meets, partnerships form and linkages are found
Over the past 27 years, nearly 25 million people have died from AIDS. HIV/AIDS causes debilitating illness and premature death in people during their prime years of life and has devastated families and communities. Further, HIV/AIDS has complicated efforts to fight poverty, improve health, and promote development.
Malaria, an illness caused by blood-borne protozoan parasites, is transmitted by several species of mosquitoes in tropical regions around the world. In 2009, there were an estimated 225 million cases of malaria—mostly in Africa.
- HIV/AIDS diminishes a person’s ability to support, work and provide for his or her family. At the same time, treatment and health-care costs related to HIV/AIDS consume household incomes. The combined effect of reduced income and increased costs impoverishes individuals and households.
- It deepens socioeconomic and gender disparities. Women are at high risk of infection and have few options for providing for their families. Children affected by HIV/AIDS, due to their own infection or parental illness or death, are less likely to receive an education, as they leave school to care for ailing parents and younger siblings.
- It strains the resources of communities – hospitals, social services, schools and businesses. Health care workers, teachers, and business and government leaders have been lost to HIV/AIDS. The impact of diminished productivity is felt on a national scale.
- The WHO estimates malaria caused 781,000 deaths in 2009. However, some experts believe that this is a conservative estimate, and that the true number of annual deaths may be as high as 2 million.
- The majority of malaria deaths occur among young children.
- Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to malaria, which can result in both maternal and fetal death. Pregnancy decreases immunity to malaria and increases susceptibility to severe anemia and death. Maternal malaria also increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight.
For more information about the Global HIV/AIDS and Malaria Initiative, contact Katie Rosecrans.
The Global HIV/AIDS and Malaria Initiative focuses on:
- Promote effective policy and sustained funding – foster member and partner discussion about policy and research gaps, implementation practices and effective messaging. Activities will focus on: convening organizations at regular Roundtable and working group meetings, and engaging key stakeholders regarding use of resources, policy requirements and implementation guidelines.
- Translating evidence into sound policy – facilitate interaction between researchers and implementers to link research, policy and practice. Activities will focus on: linking policy, research and practice on HIV/AIDS and malaria to promote more effective health care services, and providing evidence for effective and pragmatic interventions and policies through print and electronic publications.
Additional infromation about GHC's work will be added soon.
