Infectious Diseases

Around the world in the next 60 minutes, some 1,500 people will die from an infectious disease. More than half will be children under the age of five. Of the remaining 50 percent, most will be working-age adults—many of them parents and the primary source of income for their families, according to WHO.

On a global level, infectious diseases are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents; they are also one of the leading causes among adults. Low- and middle-income countries are particularly hard hit, with largely preventable or treatable diseases such as diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria being some of the top killers.

Public health threats stemming from newer infections such as Ebola and Zika coupled with ongoing threats such as HIV/AIDS transcend virtually all boundaries whether national, cultural, ethnic, religious, or socio-economic. The re-emergence of age-old diseases like TB and antibiotic resistant strains of infections further compound the threat to global public health.

Through many of our programs and initiatives, including the HIV/AIDS Twinning Center Program, Blood Safety Program, CDC1950, and COVID-19 response, AIHA has worked to address communicable diseases by training healthcare practitioners, spearheading patient education and outreach campaigns, and strengthening health system infrastructures.

To read more about our work with infectious diseases, see links below:

• Pandemic Preparedness
• HIV/AIDS
• Infection Control
• Tuberculosis
• Other Infectious Diseases