Out of Africa

Women in general are in danger of being anemic - generallyafter childbirth, many lose so much blood that their count stays low for quite a while afterwards. Also, Africans tend to already have high numbers in having sickle-cell, and as a result of the blood disease tend to be anemic (having low red-blood count) as well.

Well, an article in the New York Times recently revealed another way of getting anemia for Africans – particularly African women: the hookworm.

The hookworm is a parasite that lives inside the intestine and causes anemia. According to a recent study, almost seven million pregnant women in sub-Saharan African are infected with this parasite. Severe anemia is one of the main reasons why women die during pregnancy. It can also contribute to the death of newborns.

Maternal anemia is very common in Africa. However, most African women are anemic before giving birth instead of after. Besides hookworm, other cause are a poor diet, malaria and general genetics (like having sickle-cell). Without iron supplements, anemia is hard to prevent, and now that it is now that this new parasite also causes the blood deficiency, even iron (or even mosquito nets) may not be enough. Heavy hookworm loads are associated with low hemoglobin levels in pregnant women.

Authorities however have remained reluctant to make deworming part of maternal care for African women. This is primarily because they are unsure of how it might affect the baby.

I spent all of yesterday working as support staff for focus groups. Half of the day was with Africans (sub-Saharan black Africans, primarily from West and Central Africa). One of the main complaints about the US media is how it portrays Africa. Everything is primitive or bad or poor when it comes to Africa. Forget the bustling cities of Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. Forget the amount of progress being made all around the world.

Well, I found this image on-line — the “World at Night” — and it kind of reinforced some of those complaints.

     (to see a larger picture, click here)

As you can see from the picture – there are barely any city lights (the white spots) in Africa. Instead it’s pretty much all dark (meaning no lights at all) or there’s that nice long strip that’s all red (signifying “wildfires” as the source of light at night). I’m sorry, but seeing as places like Ghana and Chad actually have electricity pretty much 24/7 … as I’m sure does Ivory Coast and possibly places like Kenya and Cameron … this map just frustrates me.  You also got to love how Lagos, Nigeria is pretty much lit up by “natural gas flares” (the green).  Can Africa get any more primitive?

And it’s all based off of information gathered from NASA (of course).

NOTE: I’m equally enraged by the “fishing fleet lights” off the coast of South America. But at least they get some bright white lights on their continent. And Australia?? … let me just focus on Africa.