WHY PREVENTABLE DISEASE?

Eliminating preventable diseases is essential to the progress of global development. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and waterborne illnesses dramatically impact people in less developed countries, sometimes halting progress that has already been made. Those who become seriously ill can lose their jobs resulting in lower incomes and less economic support for their families, and children who are ill decrease their school attendance or have to discontinue their education altogether.

Malaria is responsible for 435,000 deaths a year, 61% of which are children under the age of five. 7.4 million children under 14 years-old died from largely preventable causes, in 2019 alone . Approximately 37.7 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS in 2020 and there were 229 million cases of malaria in 2019. Preventable disease interventions are in high demand when it comes to international development.

OUR IMPACT

Together with our partners, ODW has worked in 6 countries, 7 communities, and has helped treat over 60,000 individuals living with preventable diseases. In Myanmar, we used prevention education and the distribution of 1,000 custom bed nets made by local women to decrease the spread of malaria through our partnership with BusinessKind. We have also assisted in providing lifesaving services to children living with HIV through the establishment of HIV treatment programs.