Cory Booker proposes bill to combat diseases of extreme poverty in US

The Democratic Presidential candidate Cory Booker has announced a bill on Wednesday which would prevent, detect and eradicate neglected diseases that thrive due to extreme poverty, impairing lives of up to 12 million Americans. The bill proposed by Booker goes under an acronym STOP — The Study, Treat Observe and Prevent Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act. It is the first such bill in the US that targets exclusively on such illnesses.

It will also help to spread awareness about the health disaster due to faulty sewage treatment, unsafe drinking water, and substandard housing and sanitation. These diseases are flourishing in the US at alarming levels as a result of deprivation that allows bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens to spread through contaminated food, water or soil.

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Bill targets dengue fever, Chagas disease too

The bill also targets illnesses such as dengue fever, toxocariasis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, and trichomoniasis. Under the bill, a task force would be set up to conduct a comprehensive survey to determine where and to what extent the diseases have taken hold. This would encourage diagnosis and treatment of the diseases. Booker’s push on diseases of poverty follows similar legislation he introduced on environmental justice.

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Blissfully unaware

What is more dangerous is the fact that millions of people belonging to the poor communities of the US are not aware if they are infected. As a result, they do not seek treatment which may lead to very hazardous problems later in their life. These diseases are not rare and they are very common with the Americans living in extreme poverty.

The US senator from New Jersey has also been at the forefront of efforts to tackle lead in drinking water, promoting legislation that was signed into law earlier this month giving greater flexibility to states to divert funds and confront the problem.

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