Infectious diseases, such as Malaria are the leading cause of death among people ages 10-90 in
Equatorial Guinea. The consummation of infected bushmeat, including the meat of bats, and
monkeys, is the second most common cause of death. While these ailments can be cured, the
country lacks the necessary infrastructure to treat patients. Jean Baptiste Brieux, a lead
researcher from a European NGO, claims that while the situation seems to be gradually
improving, a lack of funding and cooperation between departments is hindering the
governments effectiveness in reaching out to victims, especially those located in remote areas,
such as in Kié-Ntem province. There was a substantial amount of deaths of patients who had
been infected with Malaria last year. Brieux claims that these losses could have been mitigated,
had sufficient funding and cooperation between NGOs and local government been present.