Health: Medicines and hygiene

Brief information on health

People in developing countries suffer from diseases much more frequently than us in Germany. Contaminated water and the lack of medicines are only two factors. Help is involved in the field of health in Mali, South Sudan, Niger and Burkina Faso.

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"I have already had seven pregnancies. Two ended with miscarriages. Two of my children died shortly after birth. I didn't go to the doctor because we didn't have any money. My brother brought some medicines from the town with which I tried to treat myself - unfortunately without any success."
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What is the situation?

Medical aid after the earthquake in Nepal — ©ADH/Timm Schamberger

Health - a basic requirement

In many developing countries the basic conditions for health are lacking. Food is scarce, which makes the body vulnerable. Drinking water is contaminated and full of germs. There is a lack of medicines. In addition, most people do not know basic hygiene rules. The consequences are high child mortality and low life expectancy.

The Ebola epidemic in 2015 showed how quickly a disease can spread under these conditions.

What is Help doing in the field of health?

Improvement of the health system in Niger

Supporting the health system in Burkina Faso

Fast, sustainable assistance

Help becomes involved quickly and effectively in emergency situations such as the Ebola epidemic. Our main aim is however the long-term improvement in health standards: we ensure drinking water is clean. We provide sufficient food. We inform people how important hygiene is. Furthermore Help invests for example in Mali in the health care system and refurbishes dilapidated hospitals.

Burkina Faso – good news

Burkina Faso is regularly in one of the top three places on the list of the poorest countries in the world. Widespread malnourishment, above all for children, as well as a high rate of child and maternal mortality are the consequences.
For many years Help fought for free health care from the state. Success (!) – Since 2016 children under five as well as pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers have the right to free medical care. Over 90 percent of births now take place under medical supervision (in 2008 it was less than 50 percent). As a result of the measures in future it is expected that the lives of 16,000 children will be saved every year.

Pakistan – helping sustainably

After the terrible floods in 2010 Help rebuilt several hospitals in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We trained nurses and equipped the hospitals with beds, generators, wheelchairs etc.

One of the main problems remains the supply of drinking water. In order to overcome this, Help drilled wells and laid water pipes.