Liberia faces a growing AIDS crisis. UNAIDS does not have accurate seroprevalence data for the country, but the CIA World Factbook estimates HIV prevalence in Liberia at 5.9 percent. As is the case in other African nations, more women than men are HIV-positive.

Malaria is also a considerable health risk, with 1004 deaths per 100,000 children aged 0-4. More than fifty Americans, primarily Marines, have contracted malaria while engaged in peacekeeping operations in Liberia following the ouster of Charles Taylor. Chloroquine is still the primary drug for treatment of malaria, with Fansidar (sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine) as a 2nd line of treatment. Resistance to chloroquine has been documented and is as high as 38 percent in some areas.

The tuberculosis death rate in Liberia is 54 per 100,000 for all ages.

Sources: CIA World Factbook; AllAfrica.com [7-15-2002]; AllAfrica.com, UN press release, 4-26-2003; AllAfrica.com, IRIN, 10-27-2003; CBSNews.com; United Nations Statistics Division, J. Webster, "Malaria Control in Complex Emergencies"

Demographic data contained in this section was obtained from the following sources: The Population Reference Bureau’s 2009 World Population Data Sheet was used for total population, life expectancy at birth, infant mortality, fertility, birth rate, death rate, % of married women 15-49 using modern methods of contraception, % of population 15-49 with HIV/AIDS in 2007/2008, and the GNI PPP per capita (2008). Literacy rates were found in the Population Reference Bureau’s publication 2005 Women of Our World. HIV prevalence data for 2001 and 2003 was obtained from the UNAIDS Barcelona 2002 report; HIV prevalence and orphan data for 2005 was obtained from the UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2006. Data on the % women who have discussed AIDS prevention with their husband or partner can be found in ORC Macro and USAID’s Women’s Lives and Experiences: Changes in the Past Ten Years (Research Findings from the Demographic and Health Surveys). Childhood malaria mortality data was accessed in 2003 from the United Nations Statistics Divisions’ Millennium Indicators. Tuberculosis data was obtained from the United Nations Statistics Division’s Millennium Indicators: MDGInfo 2006. In some cases information was unavailable.

Source: TravMed.com

University of Liberia, A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine