High Rates Of Poverty Sierra Leone Essay - 1161 Words

Following the end of a decade-long Civil War in 2002, the West African country of the Republic of Sierra Leone began a period of rebuilding, which has only been slowed by the recent Ebola epidemic. The total population of Sierra Leone hovers around 6,453,000, with about 1,004,000 of these children under five years old. The majority population is poor, with a GDP per capita at 1,600 USD, which ranks them in place 214 when compared globally. According to a 2004 estimate, 70.2% of the population is below the poverty line. Although Sierra Leone as country is fairly resource-rich, with resources including mining for diamonds and bauxite, â€Å"nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. † High rates of poverty can place a significant burden on the health of a country. In the following situation brief, topics including burden of disease, key determinants of health, and analysis of equity will be discussed in order to assess the state of health in Sierra Leone. Burden of Disease Summary: In Sierra Leone, the life expectancy at birth is 56.5 years for men, and 57.7 years for women . Although these statistics are low when compared the global average of 71.4 years and countries in the region like Liberia with an average life expectancy of 63.2 years , the average life expectancy in Sierra Leone has increased 5.5 years since 1990 . However, overall, the life expectancy at birth is much lower than global averages. The most significant cause of death inShow MoreRelatedThe Economic Problems of Sierra Leone Essay1693 Words   |  7 PagesSierra Leone or the Republic of Sierra Leone is West African country that borders to the north and east with Guinea, to the southeast with Liberia, and to the west and southwest with Atlantic Ocean. It is a beautiful country with white sand beaches, orange and coconut trees all around, and people of good hearts; however Sierra Leone or Sa Lone in its native language, Krio, has been underdeveloped and was struggling for many years to gain its independence as a British Colony. Even thou, now SierraRead MorePoverty Is A Global Concern And Its Eradication1376 Words   |  6 Pages Poverty is a global concern and its eradication is becoming surmountable. This is primarily due to the challenges posed by international and national causes respectively. Besides, the complexity of the phenomenon has not lend itself to be easily eradicated. Little wonder the world continues to struggle to eradicate poverty. Africa is one of the poorest countries on the universe and research and data show that Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in Sub-Sahara (UNDP, 2015). Sierra Leone’sRead MoreAfrican Countries, Sierra Leon And Ghana1502 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican countries, Sierra Leon and Ghana, along with Peru located in South America and lastly the United States located in North America. Sierra Leon is a British established colony founded in 1787 for slaves returning to Africa from Great Britain and also the United States, its primary language is Krio spoken by 97% of citizens. Sierra Leone became an independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations o n April 27 of 1961 and Freetown was deemed the capital city. Sierra Leone holds a populationRead MoreThe Importance Of Country Information On Northern Africa1506 Words   |  7 Pagesliving in poverty, but the nation is wealthy due to their mass amounts of oil. Their economy level is upper middle income rate. Within the country there is about 18,000 people living with HIV or AIDS. Algeria is willing to direct money towards healthcare, but it is riddled with poor infrastructure. Its citizens generally favor Western Medicine. Unfortunately the country faces overpopulation, and is overcrowded in some cities. Egypt- The Nation of Egypt is poor with a lower-middle income rate. The nationRead MoreEbola Epidemic : Interactions Throughout Culture, Biology And Ecology1593 Words   |  7 Pagesresponsibility and blame. (Wilson, 2015, 4) Ebola was unique, as it did not meet the criteria for inclusion onto most major development agendas; (Wilson, 2015, 15) the burden of the disease globally was relatively small, but research costs were so high. Since it emerges sporadically and unpredictably, funders doubted the efficacy of Ebola prevention. (Wilson, 2015, 15) It could not be classified as a bioweapon, and thus ignored by state security. Other emerging threats, such as bird flu and antibioticRead MoreThe Epidemic Of The Ebola Essay1497 Words   |  6 Pages Since March 2014, in excess of 3,000 individuals have passed from the unstoppable spread of the Ebola infection all through the West African nations of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. Notwithstanding the colossal and miserable loss of human life, the Ebola broad sickness is having shocking and ruinous consequences for these West African economies in a mixed bag of greatly imperative parts/territories by ending exchange, harming cultivating and startl ing speculators. Capacity to moveRead MoreGlobal Health Agendas And Domestic Government s Health Policies2137 Words   |  9 Pagesownership for development strategies, and one way is through Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP). These papers would be published and submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or World Bank every few years detailing where a country has come from and its strategy in the short or medium term to reach poverty reduction goals. The PRSP goals for both countries are aligned with the MDGs. However, although Liberia and Sierra Leone had similar health objectives in their PRSPs, the outcomes forRead MoreAn Analysis of the Movie, Blood Diamond Essay1197 Words   |  5 PagesThe movie Blood Diamond was released in 2006 and featured Leonardo Di Caprio as an arms smuggler whose main goal is to obtain a seemingly priceless diamond from a villager during the civil war in Sierra Leone. The film, although it has been called mild in comparison to reality, depicts the brutality that inhabitants of diamond villages were subjected to. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, and won numerous other awards. The film marker is trying to raise awareness of the illicitRead MoreHuman Services During Contemporary America1732 Words   |  7 PagesThis: coming home to place where there aren’t any lights, water and probably no meal for the day. According to Human Services in Contemporary America poverty is the main reason why many babies don’t make it to see adulthood and why clean water and sanitation are not provided. It is the underlying cause of reduced life expectancy, and disability. Poverty is a major contributor to malnutrition, stress, divorces of a family and abuse (Schmolling). Many are at a disadvantage depending on where, how, andRead MoreSub-Saharan Africa Essay2751 Words   |  12 Pagespostcolonial era giving rise to the fact that almost half of the world’s failing states are located here. The reasons for this wide spread failure below the Sahara include the following: intervention of Europeans through colonialism and slavery, poverty and low rankings in the Human Development Index, along with political instability and the rushed attempt of the democratization processes. The challenges in Africa are numerous and complex. Socially and economically Africa