Everyday disasters

"A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it adds up to real money." - Senator Everett Dirksen US politician (1896 - 1969)

Yesterday I mentioned a blog article from the website Givewell.net called "the case against disaster relief." While the main point of the blog was the cost ineffectiveness of flying rescue teams and equipment around the world, there was another interesting point taken from the Disease Control Priority project report. World citizens will donate billions of dollars for disaster relief after a tsunami but ignore the everyday misery and disease that kill millions every year.

"emergency relief is one of the least cost-effective health activities," and no substitute for (a) disaster preparedness; (b) proven interventions to deal with chronic, everyday health problems.

The report suggests that your donations can save more lives by addressing the following health issues:

• Malaria prevented by Insecticide treated nets
• HIV/AIDS
• Pneumonia/acute respiratory infections
• Diarrhea prevention with Improving the quality of the water supply, Hygiene promotion,
  Sanitation infrastructure (i.e., latrines) & Breastfeeding promotion
• Measles Vaccination
• Tuberculosis
• Maternal and perinatal deaths
• Malnutrition
• Neglected tropical diseases
• Deformities requiring surgery

BOTTOM LINE
Human suffering is not only caused by natural diasters but also from a lack of everyday clean water and basic medical care. Saving a life from disease is easier than rescuing a village after a flood.