Ebola's presence in West Africa

Ebola in West Africa 

          

          Ebola has caused thousands of deaths within Western Africa. It is seen as the West African epidemic. It was first reported in Guinea back in March 2014. It is also becoming hard to control.(Spencer)

               Even though the epidemic has decreased since its spread in 2014, it is still a a big issue 

within West Africa. According to author Craig A. Spencer from New York Times, he stated how

 "...the number of new cases since late March alone — more than 500 — would otherwise represent

 the largest Ebola outbreak in history. We’ve had spells when the number of new cases in both Guinea and Sierra Leone went down steadily — only to be reversed by clusters in new areas, arising from unsafe burials and unknown chains of transmission"(Spencer).

     In countries such as Liberia, who had from hundreds of new infections a week last year in September, to now being declared Ebola-free in May, it still happens to have outbreaks till this day.  further outbreaks have occurred. Something like Ebola never truly goes away. It's very tragic how people have to deal with these infections, especially young children. 

It's very tragic and selfish how before this epidemic broke out, there was many physicians in New York City helping patients with this infection, than those who were starting to get Ebola back in Western African countries. 

        According to author Nick Stockton from Wire.com he stated how Ebola has been around for almost two years, and their has been 27,741 infections, and 11,284 people dead and it just keeps growing the infection and death rate.(Stockon) 

        He also stated "What’s behind the continued spread? Depends on where you go. In Guinea and Sierra Leone, Ebola never died, and the new cases are a continuation of the same strain that first emerged in December of 2013. In Liberia—which declared itself ebola-free on May 12—experts believe the new outbreak was transmitted through sexual intercourse, from latent viral bodies that were alive in a man’s sperm"(Stockon). I found this to be quite surprising. First of all the date in which Ebola was first found originates from December 2013, but many other articles say sometime in 2014. So Ebola has been around since late 2013. Second of all, many people can get Ebola through sexual intercourse. 

       Overall it's quite scary how this infection, like Malaria and others are being exposed to thousands of people in Western Africa. Many people who travel there for business could even come in contact with it. Ebola should be taken more seriously and the U.S. should help those who come in contact with this infection within Western Africa and speak about it to the public and make those people aware of it, who travel from the United States to Western Africa, and also those who live in Western Africa, and to take extra care of themselves. 

       West African countries such as Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia don't have the essentials and necessities that the United States has to help their people with this infection. Due to not having those resources such as medicine and physicians, Ebola hasn't gone away. They do have a few physicians but not a lot like how we do in the United States. 

     I find it quote selfish of the United States to not give enough help of those in need in West Africa and in Africa in general. We have become a nation that is seen as superior, and unfortunately we don't like it when other nations exceed better than us. It's immoral for the United States to act like this. Yes they do help when possible, but we aren't helping enough. We should help those in need, because were all human and we have families who mean a lot  to us.We should all be equal and have the same rights. Therefore we should help West African countries with this infection that is still around.

      


1st article link:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/opinion/craig-spencer-ebola-isnt-over-yet.html
2nd article link:http:http://www.wired.com/2015/07/ebolas-not-done-west-africa/

Youtube video:

• AUTHOR: NICK STOCKTON.

Are sub-Saharan dams increasing malaria rate in Africa?

Sub-Saharan Africa Dams

        Sub-Saharan dams are now becoming hazardous for it's community.  According to author Josh L Davis from iflscience.com, he stated how "There are currently 1,268 dams already in place in sub-Saharan Africa, spread right across the region – from the Gambia in the West to Sudan in the East. Out of these, the researchers calculated that just under two-thirds are located in malarious areas"(Davis).A new study recently showed that dams can increase the risk of contracting Malaria. According to author Jacopo Prisco from CNN.com, he stated how this research…" looked at infection rates among people living close to 1,268 dam reservoirs, and found that about 15 million people reside in "risk areas" -- fewer than 5 kilometers away from a dam"(Prisco). As we all know malaria is known to be transmitted from Anopheles mosquito's. Yet what we don't know is that these types of mosquito's breed in slow-moving waters or in stagnant waters, which means that they can easily be found in dams. 

      Also author Prisco stated how "While the number of infections attributed to dams in the study is a small fraction of the estimated annual 174 million cases in sub-Saharan Africa, the researches believe that is "unethical" that people living close to dams pay the price of that development through increased suffering and, in extreme cases, loss of life"(Jacopo Prisco). Yet over half a million people are dying of malaria each year, with 90% of deaths occurring in sub-Saharan region. 

    

    Dams are known to be great investments, especially within Africa, they are known to be great economic growths for them. They are intended to be used as a goal to increase water security and also the supply of cheap electricity. Yet their production rate has not been great. These dams have actually been known to lack in compensation in displaced communities and have a negative environmental impact and also tend to have a "lopsided distribution of the energy in favor of large operations rather than local communities"(Prisco).

     Currently, their are 78 dams that are being planned or under construction, which means that would most likely create 56,000 additional cases of malaria annually which is not great. It's unfortunate how within sub-Saharan Africa, they don't care about people's health, especially those who live near dams.  

      By building more dams, this is only going to increase the chances of those who live near them to be contaminated by malaria because of the water which attracts Anopheles mosquito's. According to author Josh L Davis, he also stated how "The researchers say that while the number of those infected is a tiny proportion of the 207 million cases reported globally, they shouldn’t be the ones who have to suffer the consequences of these new developments". I agree with this as well. Every one's health is important, and those who are planning to build these dams, don't take that into consideration. They should have more sympathy and care for those who live near dams. 

1st article link:http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/11/africa/africa-malaria-dams/index.html

2nd article link:http://www.iflscience.com/environment/dams-sub-saharan-africa-linked-increase-

malaria-rates

YouTube video on Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa:

      

Sierra Leone's Environmental Issues

Environmental Issues Affecting Sierra Leone

       

      Sierra Leone suffers many environmental issues, such as deforestation, degradation,fragmentation  and the loss of soil fertility.  It also suffers a big loss of biodiversity,air pollution and last of all water pollution. Alot of Sierra Leoneans don't quite understand the issues that they are facing in their country. Which means they havent been searching for solutions to the problems that they face within their country. (Dumbuya)
    
      In the 1980's, forested land was turned into agriculture land, which means that alot of trees were removed for croping to be done.  In today's society, the Sierra Leone is taking action to this issue that has been affecting the environment for over twenty five years. According to author Ishmael Kindama Dumbuya, he stated how "The Sierra Leone government through the Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment has adopted a policy of planting trees and preserving vegeration that is natural to the provinces. Over ten hectares of land have already been allocated in each district. Very recently also, precisley in June 5, 2009, the Minstry embarked on planting trees and greening of Freetown project"(Dumbuya)

      Degradation is one of the main issues that is rising within Sierra Leone. Degradation is seen as a temporary or permanent detoration in the density or structure of vegetate cover or species composition, resulting from the removal of plants and trees important in the life cycle of other species, from erosion, and from other adverse changes in the local environment. 

      Degradation within Sierra Leone is only getting worse. it is growing at a fast rate. In the Gola Forest, degradation is the worst. The Government of Sierra Leone with the help of H.E Ernest Bai Koroma decicded to ban the hunting and the logging of trees  within this forest. Modern development has also caused degradation within Sierra Leone.

      Fragmenration is also another issue within Sierra Leone. Fragmentation bascially arises from road construction, and also similar human intrusions that happen within forest areas. This only leads to making forest edges more vulnerable to have degradtion occur within micro-climates. Also when degradation and fragmentation combine with one another, they pose as a great impact on the diversity of plant and animal life. 

      Also biodiversity is rising in Sierra Leone. Biodivsersity is seen as the total variety of animal and plant species in a particular location. This is seen as biological diversity. Within Sierra Leone, mining is causing a big effect on it's biodiversity. Their is also chemicals being found in water, due to the mining. Mining comapnies use water to clean their diomonds, which have chemicals in them. Also water is becoming affected from another factor which is human waste. Due to this action, alot of plants and animals are becoming extinct.It's so tragic how plant life is becoming polluted, and animals have to leave their natural habitat and move to safer areas. Many people from Sierra Leone, depend on it's biodiversity for it's food source, which is now becoming a big issue for them. 

     Overall Sierra Leone is experiencing many environmental issues, that many people don't know about. It's unfornuntate that not alot of help is being given to people who live in Sierra Leone. We as Americans have many resources that we use, but unforunatley in Sierra Leone they don't. We get oil from them, and many other things, and we are the ones that are living better and their poverty rate is increasing. Also many are getting ill due to air pollution etc. Their should be more help given to Sierra Leone, so Sierra Leonans can live a better life. Here below is a short youtube clip of Sierra Leone and it's environment issues.

Link to Article: http://www.standardtimespress.org/artman/publish/article_4148.shtml

Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2jpYElStbA

l diversity”. During mining, tons of the earth’s land is scooped up in order to get to the ore. This process causes the land to lose its biodiversity as is presently seen happening at the Kono diamond areas and the excavation of the land by the CSE construction company at the Rogberay-Pamlap highway in the northern part of the country. The loss of forestland is reducing the level of biodiversity in Sierra Leone. 

These problems can also be found in water sources. Because of the use of toxic chemicals by several mining companies, the bodies of water that provide Sierra Leoneans with drinking water are being destroyed. Insufficient actions to guard against deforestation, land devastation, and the release of toxic materials into water bodies and the environment from the alluvial and blast mining are leading to the extermination of some species of plants and animals. total variety of plant and animal species in a particular place; also known as biological diversity”. During mining, tons of the earth’s land is scooped up in order to get to the ore. This process causes the land to lose its biodiversity as is presently seen happening at the Kono diamond areas and the excavation of the land by the CSE construction company at the Rogberay-Pamlap highway in the northern part of the country. The loss of forestland is reducing the level of biodiversity in Sierra Leone. 

These problems can also be found in water sourceYoutube Video on Sierra Leone's Environmental Issues:

How Dimonds are ruining lives

War on Dimonds 

When you think of diamonds, what words come up in your mind? Do you think about how lavish they are? Or how beautiful they can be? Do you ever stop and think about how we get dimonds and how are they being extracted and from where?  Well unfortntley they are being extracted in a violent, and inhumane way from Africa, which is where diomonds orignate from. "In just the past two decades, seven African countries have endured brutal civil conflicts fueled by diamonds: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola, the Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo"(http://www.brilliantearth.com/conflict-diamond-trade/) These diomonds that Americans love to wear have caused alot of chaos in many countries within Africa. 

  Due to the diomonds mines that are in Africa, many rival groups are fighting eachother to control diomond rich territory. This only leads to bloodshed, human rights abuse, such as rape and even child soliders participating and last of all death. Dimonds are one of the mian reasons why wars seem to occur in many countries within Africa. Quite often these diomonds cause fuel wars that are seen as being  blood or conflict diamonds."...Although many diamond-fueled wars have now ended, conflict diamonds remain a serious problem. In 2013, a civil war erupted in the Central African Republic, with both sides fighting over the country’s diamond resources. Thousands of people have died and more than a million have been displaced. In addition, past wars fueled by diamonds have taken about 3.7 million lives. Millions of people are still dealing with the consequences of these wars: friends and family members lost, lives shattered, and physical and emotional scars that will last generations"(http://www.brilliantearth.com/conflict-diamond-trade/). 

It's unfornunate that many lives are lost due to the war on diamonds. Alot of violence takes place when dimond mining and also inhumane settings  take place.Yes I understand how many parts in Africa suffer from poverty and much more and this may be the reason as to why, when people find diamond mines they seem to fight for the land. Or if someone already owns it and the other person may want it, and the owener doesn't want to give it up, they simply declare war on eachother. Also thousands of men, women and even children in Sierra Leone are used as slaves in order to extract dimonds. They even have to use their bare hands to dig into mud or gravel along river banks which is horrible."(Armstrong, CNN) 

Their should be a end to this violence, and their is some justice already being done in Africa. I pray that things get better for those who are still suffering, and that this war is put to and end for good and that wars don't keep coming back as they have in the past. This subject really stood out to me becuase I can't believe how much this world is going through. It's one thing for us Americans to think we have it bad within our daily lives as problems arise within our lives from time to time but when thinking of other countries and finding out how much trouble they are going through, I can't help but wonder what is being done to help them, and can only imagine how much suffering they are going through.   

Until next time, 

Lupe Gutierrez 

Video about War on Dimonds link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnUMFsBSCMA

Articles on the war on dimonds links: http://www.brilliantearth.com/conflict-diamond-trade/  and http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/26/world/africa/blood-diamonds/