What Were The Top 10 Threats to Global Health in 2019?

2019 is almost over. It is time to look back and learn about the health issues that plagued the world this year. The World Health Organization published a list for the same earlier. The goal was to spread awareness about the top 10 global health issues which would demand medical attention in 2019. What were they? Let’s find out –

1. Diseases resulting from air pollution – WHO listed air pollution as a major health hazard for 2019. It provided statistics as to how 9 out of 10 people in the world breathe in polluted air every day, leading to various respiratory and circulatory diseases.

2. Non-communicable diseases – Non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer accounts for over 70% of deaths worldwide. It causes millions of people around the world to have their lives ended prematurely. These conditions also contribute to poor mental health, which worsens their overall health.

3. Influenza – New and improved influenza strains emerge every year. The rate of this emergence exceeds the rate at which vaccinations are developed to combat them. WHO warned that a global influenza pandemic could be on our hands very soon if the healthcare industry did not proactively try to find a solution for the same.

4. Lack of access to proper living conditions – Many developing nations around the world are not able to provide basic child and maternal care. In addition, weak health services on offer in these regions of the world further worsen the health of the population.

5. Falling antimicrobial resistance – Science helped humankind develop antivirals, antimalarials and antibiotics. However, antimicrobial resistance is increasingly falling. We need to come up with better drugs to keep fighting diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and the like. Otherwise, the global population will begin to succumb to these all over again.

6. High threat pathogens – 2018 saw the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic, bringing ruin to the Democratic Republic of Congo. If chemists are unable to devise treatment and vaccine plans for high-risk pathogens such as Ebola, the world population could sustain severe harm.

7. Substandard primary healthcare – Primary health care can address most people's health issues throughout the course of their life. However, not all countries have a strong primary healthcare system in place, and this could affect the health of their population immensely.

8. Vaccine hesitancy – Despite vaccinations being available to protect against diseases, many people are reluctant or refuse to get these vaccines administered. As a result, the global population still suffers from a host of preventable diseases.

9. Dengue – The mosquito-borne disease and can be deadly. Usually, a common problem in tropical countries, climate change has allowed it to spread to temperate countries as well. Strategies need to be adopted, which stem the proliferation of this disease across the world.

10. HIV – HIV prevention may have come a long way, but it still has a significant way to go. The epidemic continues to rage, and every stratum of the global population needs to be aware of methods to prevent and address this health issue.

Phoenix Family Medical Clinic offers vaccination and primary healthcare services, in addition to specialized treatment for diabetes, cancer, and so on. Walk-in for a health check-up or to get your vaccines updated anytime.

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