Latest news with #Guinea-worm
CNBC
13-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Bill Gates says the world will be better in 20 years: 'My optimism hasn't been shaken'
Bill Gates has issued some pretty big warnings in recent years — about the next pandemic or avoiding a "climate disaster" — but the billionaire says he's actually very optimistic about the future. "You can accuse me of being by nature an optimistic person," Gates told The New York Times in an interview that published on Thursday. "But I just think I'm being realistic. I think it's objective to say to you that things will be better in the next 20 years." Gates' positive outlook comes at a precarious time of geopolitical instability: multiple global conflicts and a trade war that's roiled markets around the world. Gates himself recently lamented decisions by the U.S. and other world governments to slash tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid, writing in a Thursday blog post that "it's unclear whether the world's richest countries will continue to stand up for its poorest people." He added that "no philanthropic organization ... can make up the gulf in funding that's emerging right now." Still, Gates is adamant that his "optimism hasn't been shaken," he told the Times. On Thursday, the Microsoft co-founder laid out "ambitious" plans to hand out $200 billion in aid through the Gates Foundation over the next two decades, and then close the foundation those funds, he hopes to reduce preventable deaths of mothers and children around the world, eradicate diseases like polio, malaria, measles and Guinea-worm disease, and help "hundreds of millions of people break free from poverty" by funding advances in education and agriculture in African nations, he wrote in his blog post. "The truth is, there have never been more opportunities to help people live healthier, more prosperous lives," wrote Gates. "Advances in technology are happening faster than ever, especially with artificial intelligence on the rise." Gates wishes the world didn't have to rely on AI advancements as a sort of "magic wand" — the billionaire has frequently touted the tech's potential to improve global health and education — but the technology will boost his foundation's ability to reach its goals by 2045, he told the Times. Gates' optimism isn't solely reliant on AI. Since 1990, the world's child mortality rate has been more than cut in half, thanks to broader access to advanced medical care, vaccinations and improved nutrition, according to the World Health Organization. Even after accounting for multiple countries cutting their foreign aid budgets in recent months, new medical advances — from vaccines to nutritional education initiatives — could make inroads toward cutting the child mortality rate in half yet again, Gates wrote in his blog. The same goes for working toward eradicating diseases like malaria and slowing the spread of HIV/AIDS, he added. Gates also wrote that he's hopeful other billionaires will increase "the pace and scale of their giving," pointing to younger generations of wealthy philanthropists who can pick up the mantle once the Gates Foundation shuts down. Among them: Meta co-founders Mark Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz, who both signed The Giving Pledge, in which they each publicly promised to give away the bulk of their wealth during their lifetimes. MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, has become a prominent philanthropist in recent years, giving over $19 billion to hundreds of different organizations since 2019. "Even with all the challenges that the world faces, I'm optimistic about our ability to make progress — because each breakthrough is yet another chance to make someone's life better," Gates wrote.
New Statesman
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New Statesman
Melinda Gates Q&A: 'A man with a gun is not as powerful as a girl with a book'
Illustration by Kristian Hammerstad Melinda French Gates was born in 1964 in Dallas, Texas. She co-founded and co-chaired the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a charitable organisation focused on improving healthcare and reducing poverty around the world. What's your earliest memory? Being a little girl, sick in bed in the middle of the night, and my mother staying up with me, rubbing my back, being so kind to me. What book last changed your thinking? Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny: yet another reminder that we cannot take democracy for granted. Who are your heroes? One of my heroes as a child was my friend Ellen's mother, Barbara Schneider. In a time and place that expected a lot of conformity, I was struck by Barbara's ability to be no one but herself. Now, topping my list of heroes is the incomparable Malala Yousafzai, who taught the world that a man with a gun is nowhere near as powerful as a girl with a book. What's currently bugging you? The US Supreme Court has decided that my daughters and granddaughters will have fewer rights than I had. 'Bugging' isn't a strong enough word for it. I'm enraged. It's been a powerful call to action. In which time and place, other than your own, would you like to live? I think I'll have to stick with right now. When you look at the long arc of history, there has never been a better time to be born a woman. There is so much left to do to reach true equality but at least I am alive in an era when women are finally gaining representation in the power systems that can change things. Which political figure do you look up to? Jimmy Carter, who I got to know through his work in global health. President Carter was particularly obsessed with eradicating Guinea-worm disease. He used to joke that he wanted to outlive the last Guinea worm, and he actually came remarkably close. That was him: charming, funny, generous, and deeply concerned about anyone he feared the world was leaving behind. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? Easy. It came from my mother. She told me: 'Set your own agenda, or someone else will set it for you.' This was good advice for me as a young woman trying to figure out my direction in life, and it's been good advice for me as an adult deciding how I want to use my voice and resources on behalf of other women. I think about it all the time. What single thing would make your life better? Learning to fight against perfectionism earlier in my life. I got there eventually, but I wish I'd figured it out a little earlier. When were you happiest? In the delivery room. The moment they handed me my oldest daughter, Jenn – it just upended my world. It was like I was hit by a truck. I was so completely in love. And then to get to relive that moment twice over. In another life, what job might you have chosen? In early motherhood, I spent a lot of time pumping milk imagining inventing and patenting a better pump. My daughter assures me the technology has improved since then, but I wish I could have moved fast enough to design my generation some better options. In another life, Melinda French Gates: Breast-Pump Pioneer. Are we all doomed? Optimism isn't a passive expectation that things will get better on their own – it's a belief that we can make them better. So no, I don't think so at all. There are too many people working too hard to tear down barriers and keep progress moving forward. The best part of my job is having a front-row seat to that work. Melinda French Gates's 'The Next Day' is published by Bluebird [See also: The music of resistance] Related
Zawya
31-01-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Communities mobilize to end Guinea-worm disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Salomon Kosoma, a fisherman and farmer in the north-west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is also a community mobilizer with a strong commitment to the prevention and control of Guinea-worm disease also known as dracunculiasis. In his fifties, Salomon decided to be part of the control effort when he realized the harmful health consequences of this neglected tropical disease. "I first heard about this disease during a polio vaccination campaign. That was in 2016," explains Salomon. In Businga District and across the country, Guinea-worm disease control is integrated into broader community health initiatives. After receiving initial information about the disease, Salomon gained additional knowledge through radio broadcasts detailing its symptoms, such as swollen feet and how to extract the worm, which can grow up to a meter long. Intrigued and concerned, Salomon decided to get involved in active case finding in his community, after completing a community health training course. One day, in the course of his daily work as a community health volunteer, he encountered a man with a swollen leg and immediately took him to the health centre. Upon examination, it turned out to be a case of elephantiasis. "It wasn't Guinea-worm disease. After receiving treatment, he was able to resume his life as a fisherman. I was very proud to have helped him." In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the elimination of guinea worm marks a major achievement in the prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases. In 2022, World Health Organization (WHO) certified the country as having eliminated the disease as a public health problem, a significant step toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the achievement, Democratic Republic of the Congo C remains vulnerable to a resurgence of this parasitic disease due to frequent cross-border population movements with countries where transmission is still active and has passed from humans to animals. To mitigate this risk, WHO, with support from partners including the Carter Centre and CDC Atlanta, has strengthened post-elimination efforts that include active surveillance, particularly community-based monitoring system. To permanently break the cycle of transmission, the Ministry of Health, with WHO's support has trained over 500 community health volunteers to detect symptoms of the disease and raise public awareness. Thousands of posters have been displayed in hospitals and health centres, while local radio stations continue to broadcast targeted messages to reach isolated populations. Milekana Maboki Bébé, a social mobilizer for the past 10 years in Businga, works with Salomon. "Every day, with the support of community mobilizers, I raise awareness in at-risk areas about good hygiene practices," she says. "I am greatly encouraged by the community involvement in case finding and the adoption of simple actions, such as avoiding bathing in contaminated water." Nicknamed "Mpika" (hook), "Mutchopi" (earthworm) or "Nkusu ya Mulayi" (maggot), depending on the community, guinea worm disease mainly affects rural populations using stagnant water contaminated by water fleas carrying Guinea-worm larvae. The disease causes painful sores and inflammation of the joints, which can lead to disability. Its transmission peak coincides with the farming season, which also has repercussions on food production. To encourage case reporting, a US$ 400 incentive was introduced in 2016 for confirmation of a suspected cases, increasing to US$ 1000 in 2021. The incentive is distributed as follows: US$ 250 each to the informant, nurse, health zone, and provincial health division (DPS). Since its introduction, suspected cases have been frequently reported within communities, though none have been laboratory-confirmed as positive. "The commitment of Salomon and other community relays attests to the effectiveness of this incentive," says Dr Renée Nsamba, epidemiologist in charge of neglected tropical diseases at the WHO Country Office in the DRC. "With rapid reporting of suspected cases, we are confident that we can respond quickly to a positive case." One of the strategies implemented by the DRC to maintain its dracunculiasis-free status is the integrated approach. "Integrated surveillance, implemented during polio vaccination campaigns, enables us to reach a wider audience and also affords us the opportunity to address public health issues, such as active dracunculiasis case finding," adds Dr Nsamba. "Community involvement remains crucial. It ensures the sustainability of initiatives. In addition to community surveillance, the introduction of sustainable initiatives such as water supply, hygiene and sanitation measures, and the strengthening of cross-border surveillance, have been crucial. "We welcome all strategies that will preserve our elimination status," says Dr Nkoy Mbilo Serge, Director of the National Dracunculiasis Eradication Programme (PNED). "If a drinking water source is suspected of being contaminated, it must be treated immediately," he explains. "In addition, we continue to place a premium on intersectoral collaboration, integration with other programmes and strengthening the 'One Health' approach." In Businga, Salomon continues his community surveillance activities with the same resolve. "I will continue to search for cases throughout my province. By joining this effort, I am protecting myself, protecting the people around me and protecting my environment.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Democratic Republic of Congo.
