AIDS. AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a disease due to infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. Often occurs after 10 or more years of infection with HIV. Acquiring AIDS indicates a severely weakened immune system.

Cold. An illness caused by an infection in the nose. It is a mild illness compared to other upper respiratory diseases, and acute respiratory diseases. Colds often only last about 1 week, however severe colds may last up to 2 weeks.

Diarrhea. A familiar disease that affects both the developed and developing worlds. Diarrhea causes unusually frequent or unusually liquid bowel movements. Persistent diarrhea is both uncomfortable and dangerous to the health, as it can indicate an underlying infection, and cause dehydration.

Drought. A period of prolonged dryness. Droughts often cause extensive damage to crops and are a major cause of malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Extreme Poverty. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies extreme poverty, as those who live on under $1 a day. This often leads to severe malnutrition and complicated health problems..

Flu. A upper respiratory disease that is caused by a virus. The flu is similar to the common cold, however it is much more severe, as sufferers of the flu may encounter headaches, extreme fatigue, and fevers.

Global Warming. An increase in the earth's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution.

HIV. Acronym for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The HIV virus targets white blood cells, and severely weakens the immune system, leaving a way in for opportunistic bacteria.

Human Development Index.The Human Development Index is a general indicator of the wellbeing of a country and its people, based on income, education, and health.

Iodine Deficiency. An insufficient intake of iodide in your diet may cause Iodine deficiency, which is the world's leading cause of mental retardation in children. Iodine is found in foods as iodide. Our bodies need it to make thyroid hormones.

Low-birth Weight. Low birth Weight is a factor in the developing world, as well as the developed world. Sixty five percent of infant deaths are attributed to low birth weight. Babies born with low birth weight often suffer disabilities in the long run.

Lower Respiratory Infection. A Lower Respiratory Infection is an infection of the trachea, bronchial tree, and parts of the lungs, of which the most common is Pneumonia. Symptoms may include a shortness of breath, high fever, fatigue, and even death.

Malaria.An infectious disease that is spread by the Anopheles mosquito or by a contaminated needle or blood transfusion. People infected with malaria often suffer chills, fevers, muscle aches, and headaches that recur every few days.

Malnutrition. Malnutrition is when a human body does not receive enough nutrients in the form of food, to keep necessary bodily functions running. Malnutrition may lead to many diseases, as a malnourished body has a weakened immune system.

Millennium Development Goals. The millennium Development goals were set in place by the UN to be completed by 2015, they are; 1.Eradicate extreme hunger and Poverty
2.Achieve universal primary education
3.Promote gender equality and empower woman
4.Reduce child mortality
5.Improve maternal health
6.Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7.Ensure environmental sustainability
8.Develop a global partnership for development

Pneumonia. An acute or chronic disease marked by inflammation of the lungs and caused by viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms and sometimes by physical and chemical irritants.

Poverty. Poverty is a condition in which a person or community is deprived of, or lacks the essentials for a minimum standard of well-being and life. This often means unsanitary living conditions, and unsafe drinking water, which leads to health problems..

Protein Energy Malnutrition. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a potentially fatal body-depletion disorder. It is the leading cause of death in children in developing countries. It develops in children and adults whose consumption of protein and energy (measured by calories) is insufficient to satisfy the body's nutritional needs

Retrovirus. A retrovirus is a virus that, unlike other organisms, carries its own DNA in the form of ribonucleic acid. Retroviruses are the cause of many major diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, and some cancers.

Sanitation. Living in sanitary conditions means living in conditions where you have access to clean drinking water, and adequate toilet facilities.

Sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has just over 10% of the world’s population, but is home to more than 60% of all people living with HIV. Because of the drought conditions, people who live in sub Saharan Africa often suffer severe mal nutrition, and often lack even the most basic sanitation.

Tuberculosis. A highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When a person is infected with tuberculosis, tiny bumps, called tubercles, form on the lungs, and other parts of the body. However tubercles usually form long after the initial infection.

Upper Respiratory Infection. An infection of the upper part of the respiratory system which is above the lungs. An upper respiratory infection can be due to any number of viral or bacterial infections. These infections may affect the throat, sinuses, larynx, trachea ,or bronchi.

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, or UNICEF is a special program of the United Nations (UN), devoted to aiding national efforts to improve the health, nutrition, education, and general welfare of children. UNICEF has mostly stayed within the range of areas that can benefit maltreated children the most with relatively small expenditures. These areas primarily concern prevention and treatment.

United Nations Development Programme. The United Nations Development Programme or UNDP is an organization formed in 1965 by the United Nations (UN) to help countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable human development.

Vitamin A Deficiency. A deficiency of Vitamin A in the body that can result in night blindness, decreased color adjustment, keratinization of epithelial tissue, and poor bone growth. Healthy adults have adequate vitamin A reserves to last up to a year; children often don’t.

World Health Organization (WHO). The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1948, is in charge of the collective health of the planet. The world Health Organization has made great strides in preventing, and treating epidemics of infectious diseases, as well as halting the spread of diseases across the planet using strict quarantines.

Michael G (14) and Patrick G (12), Doors to Diplomacy 2007