The essence and history of the problem.
The problem of the global spread of diseases is one of the most important. Infectious diseases affect everyone: they include everything from the 'flu' to deadly diseases such as Ebola. Once thought to have been under control, infectious diseases are back on the attack. New diseases with not known cure are continuing to emerge. About 30 new diseases have been identified in the past 20 years. Old diseases that once seemed under control -- such as diphtheria and tuberculosis -- are causing problems again. These re-emerging diseases are developing resistance to drugs that once cured us of their effects. New and re-emerging diseases are problems all over the globe and are not limited to one region. Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. The two problems of new and re-emerging diseases require that we approach disease prevention and treatment with renewed vigour.
Poverty exposes hundreds of millions of people to the hazard of infectious diseases. Lack of clean water and inadequate sanitation are breeding grounds for infectious diseases. In developing countries, 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and some 2.9 billion people have inadequate sanitation. This is compounded by rapid urbanization which forces people to live in unhygienic and overcrowded conditions. Poverty also leads to malnutrition which diminishes the body's immune system.
Attempts to solve the problem.
The World Health Organization spearheads many global immunization campaigns, often with the help of other UN agencies, such as UNICEF, governments and non-governmental organizations, such as Rotary International. The Expanded Programme on Immunization, launched by WHO in 1974, has raised the immunization rate of children around the world from 5% to 80%. It aims to raise the percentage to 90 by the year 2000. The targets are the six vaccine-preventable diseases that affect children most: diphteria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and tuberculosis.
In response to the urgency of the rising incidence of cancer, WHO Member States have approved (25 MAY 2005) on a resolution on Cancer Prevention and Control at the 58th World Health Assembly in Geneva. World Health Assembly commits to strengthen rehabilitation services for people with disabilities
Appeal to the issues of UN structures, decisions and documents.
The 58th World Health Assembly adopts resolution on cancer prevention and control
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/2008highlevel/pdf/newsroom/Goal%206%20FINAL.pdf
http://www.un.org/works/
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31402&Cr=world+health&Cr1=
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32941&Cr=h1n1&Cr1=
http://www.who.int/nmh/a5816/en/index.html
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA58/A58_55-en.pdf
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2000/20000228.ecosoc5884.doc.html
Possible approaches to solving problems.
Preventive measures can be taken in a number of ways. Vaccination is only one of such methods (immunization campaigns will be discussed in the next unit). Keeping a healthy, well-nourished and well-hydrated body is the first method of warding off disease. Keeping living eco-systems intact avoids the spread of new diseases to humans. Some propose that a number of new diseases have emerged because eco-systems in some regions were suddenly disturbed by large projects such as road-building.
Health education is another method with which the spread of diseases and their harm can be limited. The more people know about how diseases are spread and why, the more preventive measures they can take. Among the biggest killers of infants are diarrheal diseases caused by infections. The condition itself may not be deadly; it is the secondary effect that often kills: dehydration. Oral Rehydration Treatment (ORT) is an easy and cheap method of preventing this. National health systems should offer protection against the spread of diseases. In some cases, health systems have collapsed because of the social and economic crises affecting many countries.
Deadly illnesses : ADHD,H1N1 Flu, Heart Disease, HIV/AIDS, Autism, Water related Diseases, Birth Defects, Avian Influenza, Cancer, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Flu (Influenza),Gonorrhea, Hepatitis , Meningitis, Obesity, Salmonella, Tuberculosis (TB), Arthritis, Avian Influenza, E. coli, HPV (Human papillomavirus), SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome), etc.