A world full of disparities
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About 60 million Americans age 20 or older are considered obese,
according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Their
health care costs amount to about US$ 100 billion a year, ac-
cording to the American Obesity Association.
Other side of the picture:
The world's eight richest countries
have reached a landmark debt relief deal to alleviate global
poverty. Under the deal, the World Bank, the International Mone-
tary Fund and the African Development Bank will immediately
write off 100% of the money owed to them - a total of US$ 40
billion. Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali,
Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda
and Zambia, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gam-
bia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Sao Tome and Sierra Leone
will benefit.
Dr. Babar T. Shaikh
MBBS, MBA, MPH, Doctoral candidate
Senior Instructor, Health Systems Division
Department of Community Health Sciences
Aga Khan University
Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500
Karachi 74800, Pakistan
mailto:babar.shaikh@aku.edu