X

The Association’s activity is mainly focused on Nosy Be Island which is close to northern coast of Madagascar in the Mozambique canal waters. Economy of the Island is based upon tourism and agricolture.  Coffee, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar cane are intensively cultivated in the Island as well as Ylang-Ylang, an essence which is used in the production of perfums. There are about 65000 inhabitants. Native people are very poor and still live in log cabins in very precarious and unhealthy conditions. Infectious diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, parasitic infestations, pulmonary and gastrointestinal diseases are thus very common. Progressive acquisition of western type lifestyle and increased lyfe expectancy also cause an increasing incidence of tumors linked to cigarette smoking (lung cancer), to hepatitis virus infection (cancer of the liver), and to human papilloma virus infection (cancer of the cervix uteri). The health facilities in the Island are really poor and a health social system is lacking thus people need a consistent help by this point of view