Why People of Africa Live Span is Shorter

It has been said that African lives span is shorter,when compared to the Europeans or Asian.
However, this claim remain valid since 50% people in the Africa region do not really live long. Africa is a continent, that has over 60 countries in it regions, here I will be using Nigeria as my case study in the course of  this article.

Nigeria has a good weather climate condition, that could enhance the lives span of her inhabitants but rather the reverse is the case, of course, there are people who has lived up to 100 years and above in Nigeria but this statistics is infinitesimal. My great grandma, Herent Abejoye and her huband Prince Philip Abejoye lived to afull old age...

Back to the subject matter- Why Africans life expectancy is short?
To start with, one of the leading factors for this anomaly is the hustle and bustle in Nigeria. For example, in Nigeria, most people do not have a job and yet some of these people marry, sometimes to more than one wife and they will ended up giving birth to numerous children, with the mentality that the children will give them a better future. Sadly enough, how do one expects a child who had no good education, to have a good or a better future and take care of their age parents.

Another factor is pollution- the environmental pollution is overwhelming. The increasing pollution is causing serious health havoc.

Another factor is poor dietary intakes and malnutrition is a major contributor to early death in Africa. For instance, some family will eat rice with tomatoes sauce as their breakfast, and the same food for lunch and dinner. In some cases, the poor people will eat (Eba) madefrom cassava flour three times in a day and all these are carbohydrates, with little or no protein and the neccessary vitamins in all of the above food. Healthy food is essential for good health. Food plays important role in the human body, particularly in the brain.

Another factor we will be looking at is ignorant- ignorant kills and it is major killer in Africa. Take for instance, it is estimated that over 1.7 million people are living with Hepatitis A and B in Nigeria, most people living with this disease are not even aware of their illness until it is too late. Hepatitis is a liver disease that damages the liver if not detected and treated early, the end is early death. The disease is also contagious, when one comes in contact with people living with the Hepatitis B and C- However, Hepatitis A, can be contracted through unclean water and food. To understand why a lot of Nigerians are living with the Hepatitis A, one will need to visit some Africa local restaurants, popularly called "mama put." Some of these restaurants are unkempt, even the food sold in there are harmful. Most of them cook their food with rotten tomatoes because they are cheaper. Many Nigerians have contacted sickness and died through these unwholesome practices of food vendors.

Societal Belief Built on Ignorance and Superstitions are other factors- that contributes to early death in Nigeria. An average African or Nigerian do not even believe that people can contact any disease from another person and so they carry themselves carelessly around the sick one. Unlike here in Germany, for instance, if a perason has a disease that is catagious, such a person would not like to come in contact with other people. He or She will avoid using some public facilities. Such as; public transport or restaurants or any resorts area. But in Nigeria don't if someone come in contact with sick family member or friend, because faimily ties and sympathy.

Also, many Nigerians believe death is more of spiritual attack, than one cause by physical factors. Some Nigerians living in Germany go back to Nigeria, when they sick to the point of death because they believe that it is spiritual attacks from a witch that reside AFRICA or someone in the family member is responsible for their illness. While, the wise and rich Nigerians travel to Europe and America for a better treatment when ill, the foolish one return back to their home country when ill. This again is ingnorant.

This article will be incomplete if I fail to mention of family stress- Unlike in Europe or Germany where people have one or two children as the nuclear family, in Nigera the people value giving birth to several children so much. Although, this is not entirely bad, but could be a burden financially...

Finally, another factor that contributes to why Africans don live long, is the poor medical system.This affects the poor or lower class people the most. There are still people in some part of Africa or in Nigeria who have never visited the hospital or pharmacy even they are very sick; they just cook some herbs or visit a spiritualist for prayers. Since they do not have medical facilities around them and where it is available it is not adequate. Many Africans have died as a result of poor medical attention. Take for instance the common tropical sickness in Africa is "Malaria," and if it is not properly treated it kills faster than any deadly diseases in the world today.

I am writing this piece for this generation and generation yet to be born to see some of the reasons why the Africa live span is short. I am an African child, who is intolerant to the ignorance of her ancestors. If Africa must achieve her dream as a great continent, she must begin to get her priority right and develop a new mentality and approach to manage challenges to save the mass wastage of the lives of her citizens.

I was born naive but I refuse to die in ignorant. Now is Enlightenment.

Queendaline Schneider.