5 Emerging Public Health Problems Worth Pushing for
Key Facts;
- Worldwide, around 47 million people have dementia, with nearly 9.9 million new cases each year. Nearly 60% of people with dementia live in low- and middle-income countries.
- More than 19 million children were still missing out on basic immunizations halfway through the decade covered by the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP); progress towards the targets laid out in that plan is off track.
- Immunization averts an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths every year from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles. An additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided if global vaccination coverage were improved.
- There are an estimated 1 billion migrants in the world – 1 in 7 of the world’s population. Women and girls frequently face specific challenges including children with important public health implications, both physical and psychosocial such as; maternal, child health, sexual and reproductive health due to lack of access to health services and financial protection; risk of psychosocial disorders, drug abuse, nutrition disorders, alcoholism and exposure to violence.
- Anti-malarias and antibiotics are amongst the most commonly reported substandard and falsified medical products, but all types of medicines can be substandard and falsified.
- WHO’s latest estimates states that psychoactive drug use is responsible for more than 450 000 deaths each year; accounts for about 1.5% of the global burden of disease; injecting drug use, an estimated 30% of new HIV infections outside sub-Saharan Africa and contributes significantly to hepatitis B and C epidemics in all regions.
- Public health response to dementia 2017-2025
- Immunization
- Refugee and migrant health
- Substandard and falsified medical products
- World drug problem.
Dementia
The delegates endorsed a global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025 and committed to developing ambitious national strategies and implementation plans. The global plan aims to improve the lives of people with dementia, their families and the people who care for them, while decreasing the impact of dementia on communities and countries.
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Areas for action include:
- reducing the risk of dementia
- diagnosis, treatment and care
- research and innovative technologies
- development of supportive environments for carers
Related post; 3 Risk Factors for mentall health Problems among older Adults-The Big Questions
How WHO Secretariat can offer Support
Delegates recognized the necessity;- To offer technical support, tools and guidance to Member States as they develop national and sub-national plans
- To draw up a global research agenda for dementia.
- WHO’s Global Dementia Observatory as a system for monitoring progress both within countries and at the global level
Road Map to Achieve Expected Outcomes by Countries
- The need to integrate health and social care approaches
- Aligning actions to tackle dementia with those for other aspects of mental health, as well as non-communicable diseases and ageing.
- The importance of ensuring respect for the human rights of people living with dementia, both when developing plans and when implementing them.
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Immunization
Agreement was reached to strengthen immunization in order to achieve the goals of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) which was endorsed in 2012, by the Health Assembly, a commitment to ensure that no one misses out on vital immunization by 2020. However, progress towards the targets laid out in that plan is off track. Halfway through the decade covered by the plan, more than 19 million children were still missing out on basic immunizations.  |
| Left;A doctor preparing a syringe with measles vaccine in Ethiopia during African Vaccination Week. Credit: DFID Right;24 mobile medical teams supported by WHO are deployed to the most remote and insecure parts of Borno State to provide urgently needed essential health careWHO/A. Clements-Hunt |
Road Map to Achieve Expected Outcomes by Countries
- To strengthen the governance and leadership of national immunization programmes.
- To improve monitoring and surveillance systems to ensure that up-to-date data guides policy and programmatic decisions to optimize performance and impact.
- To expand immunization services beyond infancy; mobilize domestic financing, and strengthen international cooperation to achieve GVAP goals.
- The WHO Secretariat to continue supporting countries to achieve regional and global vaccination goals.
- Scaling up advocacy efforts to improve understanding of the value of vaccines and of the urgent need to meet the GVAP goals. The Secretariat will report back in 2020 and 2022 on achievements against the 2020 goals and targets.
Refugee and migrant health
There are an estimated 1 billion migrants in the world – one in seven of the world’s population. This rapid increase of population movement has important public health implications, and requires an adequate response from the health sector. International human rights standards and conventions exist to protect the rights of migrants and refugees, including their right to health. But many refugees and migrants often lack access to health services and financial protection for health.
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| Syrian/Kurdish refugees at Turkey's border-Credits; nationalgeographic.com |
Road Map to Achieve Expected Outcomes by Countries
Delegates asked the Director-General to;- Provide advice to countries in order to promote the health of refugees and migrants
- To gather evidence that will contribute to a draft global action to be considered at the 72nd World Health Assembly in 2019.
- To use the framework of priorities and guiding principles to promote the health of refugees and migrants developed by WHO, in collaboration with IOM and UNHCR
- To inform discussions among Member States and partners engaged in the development of the UN global compact on refugees and the UN global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.
Dangers to Maternal, Child, Sexual and Reproductive Health
Health problems faced by newly-arrived refuges and migrants can include;- Accidental injuries
- Hypothermia, burns,
- Cardiovascular events,
- Pregnancy and delivery-related complications.
- Maternal, newborn and /child health,
- Sexual and reproductive health and violence.
Children are prone to acute infections such as;
- Respiratory infections and diarrhea because of poor living conditions
- Deprivation during migration and forced displacement.
- Lack of hygiene can lead to skin infections.
- Psychosocial disorders,
- Drug abuse,
- Nutrition disorders,
- Alcoholism and exposure to violence.
- Those with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) can also suffer interruption of care, due either to lack of access or to the decimation of health care systems and providers.
Road Map to Achieve Expected Outcomes by Countries
- The WHO Secretariat asked to strengthen its collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Narcotics Control Board to implement the health-related recommendations in the outcome document of the 2016 Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the world drug problem (UNGASS).
- It has been 26 years since the Health Assembly made a decision on this topic. The Secretariat is asked to report back on progress in 2018, 2020 and 2022.
Substandard and falsified medical products
“Substandard” medical products (also called “out of specification”) are authorized by national regulatory authorities, but fail to meet either national or international quality standards or specifications – or in some cases, both. “Falsified” medical products deliberately or fraudulently misrepresent their identity, composition or source.Delegates agreed to adopt the new name of “substandard and falsified” (SF) medical products for what have until now been known as “substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit (SSFFC)” medical products.
Dangers of Substandard and falsified medical products
- Can harm patients and fail to treat the diseases for which they were intended.
- They lead to loss of confidence in medicines, healthcare providers and health systems, and affect every region of the world.
- Anti-malarias and antibiotics are amongst the most commonly reported substandard and falsified medical products, but all types of medicines can be substandard and falsified. They can be found in illegal street markets, via unregulated websites, and in pharmacies, clinics and hospitals.
Road Map to Achieve Expected Outcomes by Countries
- The Assembly also agreed a definition of “unregistered or unlicensed medical products”. These have not been assessed or approved by the relevant national or regional regulatory authority for the market in which they are marketed, distributed or used.
- The new terminology aims to establish a common understanding of what is meant by substandard and falsified medical products and to facilitate a more thorough and accurate comparison and analysis of data. It focuses solely on the public health implications of substandard and falsified products, and does not cover the protection of intellectual property rights.
The world drug problem and public health
According to WHO’s latest estimates, psychoactive drug use is responsible for more than 450 000 deaths each year. The drug-attributable disease burden accounts for about 1.5% of the global burden of disease. Furthermore, injecting drug use accounts for an estimated 30% of new HIV infections outside sub-Saharan Africa and contributes significantly to hepatitis B and C epidemics in all regions. Delegates agreed on the need for intensified efforts to help Member States address the world drug problem.
Recommendations
In my opinion, it is wonderful to hear the outcomes/agreements made from the delegates from member states who make up the health assembly. On the other hand, my major concern is the implementation! It is therefore incumbent on the WHO secretariat to intensify/follow-up though strategic monitoring mechanisms and technical support systems. Political will, funding, cultural inhibition, shortage of healthcare experts are some barriers attributed to meeting agreements made.This is a wake-up call/call to action for all member states, particularly governments/policy makers in low and middle income countries who are mostly affected by this public health crisis. NOW is the time for intensified efforts from all concerned. And that includes you and me!
Yes you! Have you considered arming yourself with knowledge/nature on the aforementioned public health crisis? (dementia, immunization, refugee and migrant health, substandard and falsified medical products, world drug problem). That is a good way to protect your families and loved ones as well as lend your voice to push for your government to make changes or intensify efforts as the case may be.
Joyce Psychology Magazine is still at the fore front advocating for improved policy, implementation and funding, especially on mental health care in Africa with focus on Nigeria. Mental health is in silent crisis in Nigeria. What happened to the “Nigeria Mental Health Act”? Did you notice the amount budgeted for Health care in the 2017 budget of recovery? I wonder percentage accrues to the mental care sector! I will be addressing these issues in subsequent articles. Before then, I will share more insights on the 5 global public health crisis and its psychological implication.
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