With a brand new decade starting, the rest of the world is bracing for possible health issues that may prove to be a challenge for the next decade. At the forefront is the World Health Organization and they have come up with a list of pressing health concerns that the rest of the world may have to bear with in the coming decade. Among these include:
Climate Change Implications on Health
Climate change isn’t only expected to directly impact the environment. It is also expected to cause health risks to the world’s population too. For instance, there is a yearly fatality of about 7 million due to air pollution. Catastrophic weather and natural disasters due to climate change can lead to malnutrition and even the spread of diseases. These health risks should be considered urgent and need to be addressed by world leaders the best that they can.
Extending Healthcare to Countries Under Crisis
Disease outbreaks are usually harder to contain or treat in places where crisis and conflict are present. There is also the reality of medical practitioners and health facilities coming under constant attack, which leads to even more limitations on the accessibility of basic health assistance. While these places require proper assistance in terms of directly addressing their specific health concerns, there is also a need to tackle the political undercurrents of these issues before any concrete health solutions can be implemented.
Healthcare Accessibility
While healthcare should be something that everybody gets access to, the reality is that it can only be accessible by those belonging to higher socio-economic backgrounds. People belonging to poor and rich nations currently have an 18-year life expectancy discrepancy. There has also been a rise in the number of diabetes and cancer cases. The same is true for other non-communicable conditions and this is happening worldwide. The only way for healthcare inequality to be addressed is to ensure that quality healthcare becomes accessible to all, regardless of their social or economic background.
Expanding the Accessibility of Medicine and Vaccines
About a third of the population has no access to quality vaccines and medicines. This endangers millions with health conditions that would otherwise have been easily treated. There is a need to invest in life-saving vaccines and drugs to help improve the lifespan of those who belong in impoverished nations and those in low-income sectors of society.
Combating Communicable Diseases
Transmissible diseases are expected to kill about 4 million in 2020 alone. This is 28 more times than those people who perished from diseases that would have been vaccine-preventable last year. Decreasing the death toll requires countries endemic to these diseases to secure proper funding in improving the overall quality of available treatments, expand immunization outreach, as well as invest money in research.
Bracing Against Epidemics
In terms of epidemics or disease outbreaks, staying way ahead is crucial, especially in cases where millions are in danger. Whether it’s a new influenza strain that is vaccine-resistant or the spread of diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes, ensuring that there is ample preparedness and appropriate preventative measures put in place is crucial. This can only be achieved via investments in health infrastructures and health care.