Madagascar is a low-income country of Africa. Madagascar has been struggling with providing quality accessible healthcare to its population for several decades. The environment, social, and culture have played major roles in the health of the Malagasy people. The leading causes of death in Madagascar is due to the environment, poor ventilation, and lack of access to medical facilities. Madagascar health system offers free medical treatments; however, poverty and decrease access to medical facilities has caused people to resort to traditional healers.
Country Background
Madagascar is located South East of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The land mass of Madagascar is 581,540 square kilometers, (Wildmadagascar, n.d.) with about 40 people per square …show more content…
Diarrheal diseases are the fourth leading cause of death in Madagascar (WHO, 2013). Malaria has caused six thousand deaths in 2013 (WHO, 2015). Malaria is wide spread during the rainy season (WHO, 2015). Bubonic and the pneumonic plague has been reported in Madagascar in December 2013. There were eighty-four cases reported and forty-two resulted in death. The plague has an increased risk of spreading due to highly populated areas, living by rice fields where rodents live, and decrease access to antibiotic medication (Sonricker, 2014). Madagascar’s mortality rate for children under five years old is fifty-six per one-thousand births in 2013 (World Bank, n.d.). There are approximately 104 children who die every day in Madagascar. The leading cause of death for children is acute respiratory infections. Other causes of death are malaria and diarrheal diseases. Madagascar ranks in the top ten countries in which children have severe malnutrition (UNICEF, n.d.). The major barriers to healthcare are poverty, poor roadways, and lack of education. 76.5% of Madagascar’s population live in poverty (UNICEF, n.d.). People are unable to afford the cost of traveling to clinics (Our-Africa, n.d.). Poor roadways leave access to healthcare throughout the rainy season non-existent (IRIN, 2012). Only sixty-eight percent of people age fifteen and older can read and write (Africaw,
Country Background
Madagascar is located South East of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The land mass of Madagascar is 581,540 square kilometers, (Wildmadagascar, n.d.) with about 40 people per square …show more content…
Diarrheal diseases are the fourth leading cause of death in Madagascar (WHO, 2013). Malaria has caused six thousand deaths in 2013 (WHO, 2015). Malaria is wide spread during the rainy season (WHO, 2015). Bubonic and the pneumonic plague has been reported in Madagascar in December 2013. There were eighty-four cases reported and forty-two resulted in death. The plague has an increased risk of spreading due to highly populated areas, living by rice fields where rodents live, and decrease access to antibiotic medication (Sonricker, 2014). Madagascar’s mortality rate for children under five years old is fifty-six per one-thousand births in 2013 (World Bank, n.d.). There are approximately 104 children who die every day in Madagascar. The leading cause of death for children is acute respiratory infections. Other causes of death are malaria and diarrheal diseases. Madagascar ranks in the top ten countries in which children have severe malnutrition (UNICEF, n.d.). The major barriers to healthcare are poverty, poor roadways, and lack of education. 76.5% of Madagascar’s population live in poverty (UNICEF, n.d.). People are unable to afford the cost of traveling to clinics (Our-Africa, n.d.). Poor roadways leave access to healthcare throughout the rainy season non-existent (IRIN, 2012). Only sixty-eight percent of people age fifteen and older can read and write (Africaw,