During the month of May, IMPACT will be highlighting USAID’s work in Global Health. From May 1-10, we will be featuring the role that Science, Technology & Innovation plays in Global Health.
In the past decade, U.S. investments in science, technology and innovation have led to critical breakthroughs in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of deadly global diseases. We now have a meningitis vaccine for African populations, a new test that can quickly diagnose drug-resistant TB and promising data indicating that a vaccine could prevent HIV infection. We have developed desperately needed new drugs for neglected diseases and have determined pathways to expand access to treatment for millions through programs like PEPFAR and USAID’s Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) program.
Doctor prepares malaria treatment. Photo credit: IMAD
However, there is still much work to be done. Global diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis take eight lives per minute. And so many young lives are taken, compounding the tragic loss of human potential – almost one in five of all global health deaths each year are in children under the age of five. In addition to the devastating health consequences, these diseases perpetuate the cycle of poverty. For example, the average TB patient loses 3-4 months of work and 30% of yearly household earnings because of the disease. Trachoma, a neglected tropical disease that is the world’s leading cause of preventable blindness, results in an estimated $2.9 billion in lost productivity each year. Developing new tools to combat these diseases is critical not only for saving lives, but also for allowing individuals to achieve their earning potential and enabling impoverished nations to develop sustainable economies.
As we look ahead, a plethora of new technologies are poised to transform the way that we prevent, diagnose and treat global diseases. For example, advances in mobile technology are leading to a new generation of mobile health tools that will dramatically increase access to healthcare. Advances in genomics mean that scientists can track diseases on a molecular level, allowing them to identify outbreaks, understand patterns of disease transmission and develop targeted drugs and vaccines. We are truly on the brink of remarkable breakthroughs and have the opportunity to revolutionize global health. To seize this opportunity, we must call for continued investment to save lives, combat extreme poverty and accelerate progress.
Additional resource:
Follow USAID for Global Health (@USAIDGH) on Twitter and use #GHMatters to join in the conversation.
