A. Diseases of Poverty: Preventable Suffering

The diseases of poverty are endemic in the world’s poorest regions, but barely get noticed among the wealthy. Diseases such as elephantiasis, guinea worm, malaria, river blindness, schistosomiasis, and trachoma are common in poor countries, but are largely unheard of in rich countries. Beyond morbidity and premature mortality, the diseases of poverty cause physical anguish, for example, when a two-foot long guinea worm parasite emerges from the genitals, breasts, extremities, and torso with excruciating pain; or filarial worms cause disfiguring enlargement of the arms, legs, breasts, and genitals; or river blindness leads to unbearable itching and loss of eyesight.