Essay Sample on World Health Organization Death Investigation

Introduction

The primary causes of deaths internationally according to World Health Organization include Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive lung disease. Lower respiratory infections are the third and chronic diseases follow closely in the fourth position. In 2015, diabetes caused 2.8% of total deaths amounting to 1.6 million people (World Health Organization, 2018). The percentage represents an increase of 1 million people in 2000. Dementia is causing many deaths and has doubled since 2000 to 2010; hence it is the seventh leading killer disease. However, causes of deaths differ from one country to another. The essay provides a summary of Nigeria; determine three top causes of deaths and risk factors in the country.

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Statistical Overview of Nigeria

According to 2015 statistics, Nigeria had a population of 185,990,000 while gross national income per capita income was 5,360. Moreover, life expectancy in 2016 was 55/56, and the probability of dying under the age of 5 in 2017 was 100 per 1000 births. The likelihood of dying aged between 15 and 60 is 372/333 per a population of 1000 people, and this is according to 2016 statistics (World Health Organization, 2018). Therefore, the probability of dying aged 15 years and above is high than children. The total expenditure on health per capita was $217 in 2014 while the country's spending as a percentage of the gross domestic products was 3.7% in 2014.

Top Three Causes of Death in Nigeria

The first top cause of deaths in the country is lower respiratory infections. They accounted for 19% of the total deaths in 2012. Neonatal is the second cause while HIV is the third top cause of fatalities. In 2012, it accounted for 9% of all deaths, and still, it maintains the third position in 2017 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). The percentage change of lower respiratory infect between 2007 and 2017 is -10.7% while that of Neonatal disorders is -1.5% (Health Data. 2018). The percentage change for HIV is -25.7%. These changes are as a result of government efforts to offer quality healthcare services to its people.

How the Causes Deteriorate One's Health

Malaria is the leading cause of death in the country, and it causes death since an infected individual suffers from anemia affecting the ability of the body system to function correctly. It blocks blood capillaries affecting the flow of blood throughout the body and eventually leading to death. HIV causes death by damaging the immune system and the ability of the body to fight opportunistic infections. Finally, lower respiratory infections include pneumonia causes because it affects the lungs affecting the breathing system (David & Stephen, 2018). It mostly affects young children. Lungs are made of alveoli which fill with air when an individual breath. As a result of pneumonia, pus and fluids fill alveoli thus affecting the breathing system causing death.

Risk Factors That Cause the Population Most Vulnerable

Lack of access to quality healthcare services is the primary risk factor exposing the population to the deaths. The economy of the country is growing but the government spends very little on healthcare; thus the community does not have access to quality public healthcare. Also, cultural practices have contributed causing the population vulnerable to the diseases. For example, social stigma and family culture like polygamy have contributed to the spread of HIV. There was a cholera outbreak in 2010/2011 that led to many deaths showing that the country is prone to epidemics (David & Stephen, 2018). As stated previously, life expectancy in Nigeria in 2016 was 55 for male and 56 for female, and this is associated with causation factors.

Conclusion

Nigeria is one of the economic giants in Africa, but it is facing severe health problems. Its population was 185,990,000 in 2016, yet the government spends little of its gross domestic products to provide healthcare services. Top ten causes of death include Malaria, lower respiratory infections, and HIV. The most vulnerable groups are pregnant women and children and poor households because they could not access quality healthcare services. Therefore, the government should spend more to improve healthcare services.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Global Health-Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/countries/nigeria/why/default.htm

David, M & Stephen, H. (2018). The global burden of lower respiratory infections: making progress, but we need to do better. The Lancet Infectious Disease 18(11), 1162-1164.

Health Data. 2018). Nigeria. Retrieved from http://www.healthdata.org/nigeria

World Health Organization. (2018). Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/countries/nga/en/

World Health Organization. (2018). Global Health Observatory (GHO) data. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/gho/mortality_burden_disease/en/