Life begins at forty?

[Solly]

Aids toll cuts African lifespan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3330155.stm

Life expectancy is falling in many parts of Africa due to the Aids epidemic, says a report from the World Health Organization.
The report says that in 14 African countries, child mortality is higher than it was in 1990, despite improvements elsewhere in the world.

WHO Director General Jung-Wook Lee is warning of a "growing gulf" in the standard of health care.

Next year, he said, was an "acid test" of world moral commitment to Africa.

The 2003 World Health Report covers everything from health campaigns against individual diseases such as Aids and polio, and compares changes in life expectancy in the richest and poorest nations.

While in Switzerland - the "home country" of the WHO - life expectancy is on average more than 80 years, in Zimbabwe, it is it is just under 38 years.

It is falling in many African countries - a girl born today in Sierra Leone could expect only to live to 36, in contrast to Japan, where today's newborn girl might reach 85 on average.

Other countries have shown falls - in Russia, for example, where health and social services have largely collapsed since the end of the Soviet era, a man can expect to reach only 58 years of age.

Aids is the leading cause of death among 15 to 59-year-olds, twice those caused in this age group by heart disease.

However, diseases related to tobacco are causing five million deaths a year, says the WHO.

Dr Jung-Wook Lee said that more effort was needed to introduce decent health care systems in even the poorest and worst-hit countries.

He said: "These global health gaps are unacceptable.

"Effective action to improve population health is possible in every country but it takes local knowledge and strength and sustained international support to turn that possibility into reality."

Approximately 30m in African nations currently have HIV - accounting for 70% of the world's cases.

Infectious diseases are still claiming millions of children's lives on the continent, says the report.

It adds: "Those who do make it past childhood are confronted with adult death rates that exceed those of 30 years ago."

The risk for women dying in childbirth is 250 times higher in poorer countries than in rich ones - more than 500,000 women die each year as a result of complications during pregnancy.

The WHO Director General, writing in The Lancet medical journal, said: "We need a clear set of priorities - a new set of grand challenges, perhaps-for research, together with new funding to support this programme.

"The next 12 months and beyond will be acid test of our collective moral commitment."

Average life expectancy (years) - examples
Zimbabwe - 37.9
Zambia - 39.7
Angola - 39.9
UK - 75.9 (M), 80.6(F)
France - 79.7
Sweden - 80.4
Switzerland - 80.6

What a significant difference between Africa and the West. We live two lives for their one; we are reaching our prime at 40, while they are in the grave.

[Queen]

Life is not fair...if you are living in a "poor" country, with bad healthcare, bad plumbing...you will die young...

We should help people in the world....we are after all all "brothers and sisters" wether you believe in creatonism or evolution.....we all have our ancestors in common!
But even with our great medical avantages....I see young people die here as well. They were born with less fortuned body....I already lost two friends.....And I am not talking about those who get sick (cancer, HIV or "just" the flue.....name any disease and you can die from it)

The world we live in is hard and unfair.

Lots of love, long life and sunshine,
Queen

[Pilgrim]

Such a sad thing. There is a motion to come in front of our denominations general assembly in '04 asking that we divert 25% of our special mission offering to the relief of AIDS victims in Africa. At heart I love it, but realistically I also think of how much money that is and how many folks have already planned their bidgets next year on that money. And I'm talking about medical and missionary workers all around the world, not administrators and regular pastors who already have it pretty good.

[Da Lone-Warrior]

One thing that may make a difference is both doing more to stem the spread of AIDS and improve healthcare in Africa.

However, the biggest need of Africa is improved national governance.

I think the best indirect way we can promote this is by supporting democracy, fair-trade and also supporting the freedom of religion in Africa since religious minorities are often the most likely source of political opposition and political change/reform.

dlw

[Da Lone-Warrior]

A SHORTLIST OF WORTHY CHARITIES FOR CREATIVE
CHRISTMAS GIVING,
from the editor of Prism e-pistle .

If you're like me, most of the people on your
Christmas gift list already have more than they
need, and their lives will not be measurably
enhanced by another "thing" they'll need to find
room for among their "stuff." And yet there is
something about Christmas that makes us want to give
to those we love. At PRISM we are hearty advocates
of offering gifts to those who TRULY need them, but
doing so in the name of our loved ones so that they
can share in the pleasure of giving.

It's not always easy to know how and where to give,
so we've compiled a shortlist of charities and
organizations that we feel are worthy of your
donations. We've culled them from the pages of
PRISM Magazine, where they have been featured over
the past year. Some of them will be equipped to
send out a gift card to your loved one, informing
them of your gift. Those that are not equipped to
do this will welcome your donations anyway, and you
can easily write a note into a Christmas card to let
your friends and family know about the charity you
have chosen to benefit in their name. All are non-
profits, which means that your Christmas shopping
has the added advantage of being tax-deductible!
You can't beat that.

COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL, releasing children from
poverty through individual sponsorships
(tel: 800-336-7535 or
http://www.compassion.com/resources/realmercy )

MUSTARD SEED ASSOCIATES, promoting whole-life
stewardship and purposeful Christian living, and
providing a forum to challenge and promote community
( http://www.msainfo.org )

THE SIMPLE WAY, incarnational ministry to the poor
in Philadelphia
( http://www.thesimpleway.org )

AGROS FOUNDATION, breaking the cycle of poverty
through land ownership in Latin America
(tel: 206-528-1066 or http://www.agros.org )

BOOKS FOR SOUTH AFRICA, providing much-needed
educational materials to impoverished rural areas of
South Africa (Contact Nancy Parker at
surveysa@hotmail.com for more information.)

BREAD FOR THE WORLD, a nationwide Christian citizens
movement seeking justice for the world's hungry
people by lobbying our nation's decision makers and
engaging in research and education on policies
related to hunger and development
(tel: 800-822-7323 or http://www.bread.org )

SARONA GLOBAL INVESTMENT FUND, offering people
trapped in poverty a hand up, not a handout
(tel: 877-772-7662 or http://www.saronafund.com )

THE CLINIC, providing medical outreach to
underserved communities
( http://www.theclinicne.org )

WORLD VISION, enabling the world's children to
realize their God-given potential by tackling the
root causes of poverty
( http://www.worldvision.org )
[Please note that World Vision is currently inviting
people to help pay for postage to send over $53
million dollars' worth of manufacturer-donated
winter clothing to needy children in 38 countries.
A $30 pledge means $540 worth of warm clothing can
be mailed. For more info and to donate, go to
https://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/eappeal.nsf/
egiftclothing_sp_122203?OpenForm&campaign=1183420&cm
p=OTC-1183420

CONSISTENT LIFE (formerly known as the Seamless
Garment Network), committed to the protection of
life, which is threatened in today's world by war,
the arms race, abortion, poverty, racism, capital
punishment, and euthanasia
(tel 919.779.1912 or http://www.consistent-life.org )

INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT, a "think tank with
legs" created to develop sustainable environments
for religious freedom worldwide and to inspire and
equip emerging leaders with faith-based
methodologies of engagement
( http://www.globalengage.org )

Kaleo Urban Ministry, equipping young leaders for
holistic ministry to urban Boston and beyond
( http://www.kaleoboston.org )

BRIDGE OF HOPE, ending and preventing homelessness,
one church and one family at a time
( http://www.bridgeofhopeinc.org )

HERE'S LIFE INNER CITY, enabling the church to
respond to God's heart for the poor
(tel: 212-494-0321 or http://www.hlic.org )

The following excellent organizations fight against
sexual trafficking, a multibillion-dollar industry
that claims the lives of women and children in every
country on the globe:
> INITIATIVE AGAINST SEXUAL TRAFFICKING
( http://www.iast.net - tel: 703.519.5896)
> SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL
( http://www.sharedhope.org - tel: 1.866.HER.LIFE)
> INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION
( http://www.ijm.org - tel: 703.465.5495)
> ECPAT USA
( http://www.ecpatusa.org - tel: 212-717-2530)
> RAINBOWS OF HOPE
( http://www.wec-int.org/rainbows - tel: 808.548.2811)

[Losvedir]

Wow, that is truly sad. I can't imagine having a midlife crisis right now (at 18). I'm surprised, though, that AIDS and tobacco are the leading causes of death. Before this whenever I thought of people dying young in Africa, I had a picture in my mind of them starving to death. So I guess they don't need food, they need... hm? Education?

btw, Solly, I love your signature!

[Queen]

Today @ 07:31 AM post located here
Losvedir:

Wow, that is truly sad. I can't imagine having a midlife crisis right now (at 18). I'm surprised, though, that AIDS and tobacco are the leading causes of death. Before this whenever I thought of people dying young in Africa, I had a picture in my mind of them starving to death. So I guess they don't need food, they need... hm? Education?

btw, Solly, I love your signature!

Education is the key!
absolutely!!!

Lots of love and sunshine,
Queen :Q: