Author: Michelle Simon

NEW YORK — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently warned that unless urgent action is taken, the AIDS epidemic could be prolonged indefinitely. The report, titled “On the Fast-Track to end the AIDS epidemic,” reveals that the progress made over the last 15 years could go to waste if more people do not have access to treatment. It urges all partners to focus their energy on increasing investments to ensure that the public health threat that AIDS poses is ended by 2030. The fight against HIV/AIDS has had many successes. According to UNAIDS, 15.8 million people have access to antiretroviral…

Bangladesh, a small South Asian country, is one of the most populous countries in the world. Of the 159 million people living in a country the size of Iowa, 20 million are suffering from poisoning by arsenic-laced water, according to True Activist. The Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based human rights group, revealed in a report that the Bangladeshi government has not done their part to prevent the problem of arsenic-laced water. The problem kills approximately 43,000 people every year. Arsenic is an element usually used in agriculture. High amounts of pollution in an area can increase the amount…

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In the Thatta District in Sindh Province, a new mobile technology is being developed to make the birth registration process in Pakistan much smoother. In all corners of the world, birth registration for newborns is necessary and important. In Pakistan, without birth registration, a child cannot receive a birth certificate, National Identity Cards (NIC), a passport or school enrollment. The birth registration process in Pakistan is typically complicated and time-consuming. This leaves many parents unmotivated to register their children, especially because many are not aware of the benefits that come with birth registration. According to UNICEF, every…

SEATTLE — Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, is one of the world’s ten most polluted cities. It is also the world’s coldest city. According to UNICEF, winter temperatures can drop to -40℃. Air pollution in Mongolia puts many lives at risk. Ulaanbaatar sits in a valley on the Tuul River, which traps much of the pollution. 2011 data showed that fine particulate matter is often 6-7 times higher than World Health Organization standards permit. The blanket of dust and smoke covering the city during cold and polluted winter months can be so bad that it obscures vision, sometimes leading to traffic accidents…

LILONGWE, Malawi — Malawi has one of the highest HIV rates in the world, with approximately one million, or 10.3 percent, of its inhabitants living with the disease. Recently, however, the Malawian Ministry of Health and UNICEF have been working together to see how drones can help improve HIV testing for infants. The Malawi drone experiment was successfully tested earlier this month. According to a study by Avert, Malawi accounts for four percent of the total number of people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013, there were 48,000 AIDS-related deaths in Malawi. In 2014, nearly 40,000 children in…