The Role of Inadequate Public Health Infrastructure Towards Increasing the Worldwide Impact of Infectious Diseases Infectious diseases are a constant threat to human populations across the globe. With the Chikungunya virus, for example, the world has witnessed the ease with which emerging infectious diseases can gain new footholds in more vulnerable territories, and further, how many deadly pathogens are rapidly acquiring resistance and becoming impervious to available treatments. The effective control of infectious diseases hinges on the capacity and robustness of an underlying public health infrastructure. The presence of this infrastructure, which includes its essential components, is the most critical factor in averting the increase in …show more content…
This includes a system for surveillance that yields timely detection of disease events and the ability to diagnose and report these events to appropriate officials with the capacity to respond. Detecting the very first cases and engaging rapid response are critical. The global eradication of smallpox is an example of how monitoring as part of the public health infrastructure led to the effective containment of a deadly disease. It utilized an active surveillance system that provided timely reporting of new smallpox cases and engaged an immediate response of ring vaccination to contain the spread of the virus.2 When monitoring systems fail or are poorly developed, infectious agents are not contained when they are most manageable, leading to the inevitability of a large-scale …show more content…
The decimation of these infrastructures following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti led to an epidemic of cholera, which, although still a significant problem, has been contained through the successful mobilization of resources and efforts from Haitian and international organizations.4 Concerted efforts have led to the establishment of water-quality monitoring systems across the country, an increase in staff trained in water monitoring and surveillance, and enhanced the quality of several cholera treatment facilities, which have helped bring the epidemic under control. The mobilization pillar is key to ensuring the resources and workforce are delivered rapidly to the site of outbreaks to prevent their continued
An emerging diseases class must also anticipate what the potential issues are that may halt the eradication process. An example of a problem is when Foege had to figure out what to do when faced with a low supply of the vaccine. There were two main choices, try and target the places where the outbreak occurred, or dilute the vaccine and give it to everyone. Each had their own downside however. If Foege and his team targeted the wrong places then the virus would still spread and inevitably infect everyone in the area and wreak havoc on the region since all of the vaccine would be gone. The other option had an equally catastrophic down side. If the vaccine was too diluted and did not take then the virus could become active and those inoculated would most likely become infected with vaccine-borne smallpox. To make a long story short, the first option was chosen and actually lead to the “Surveillance and Containment” method. This method entailed surveying the population for anyone who could have the outbreak and then making sure to contain any potential outbreak from occurring. This idea of identifying the problems that are being faced and weighing the options against each other is an important concept to understand in an emerging diseases class. In an eradication effort Foege lets us know
The Haitian government’s lack of preparedness for earthquakes despite the fact that earthquakes are common to the region is indicative of the governments inability and lack of resources to properly plan and protect it’s population against natural disasters. This lack of preparedness is not an isolated incident. Prior to the disaster, the World Bank and others were working with the Haitian government to incorporate disaster risk management into Haiti’s development strategy and to develop its capacity for disaster response. This capacity building was in its early stages of development when the earthquake hit, on January 12, 2010, and was mainly focused on hurricanes, which are the most common cause of natural disaster on the island (Margesson, 2010, p. 4).
According to World Health Organization, the statics show that: - The world needs 17 million more health workers, especially in Africa and South East Asia. - African Region bore the highest burden with almost two thirds of the global maternal deaths in 2015 - In Sub-Saharn Africa, 1 child in 12 dies before his or her 5th birthday - Teenage girls, sex workers and intravenous drug users are mong those left behind by the global HIV response - TB occurs with 9.6 million new cases in 2014 - In 2014, at least 1.7 billion people needed interventions against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) (“Global Health Observatory data”, n.d.) B. A quote of Miss Emmeline Stuart, published in the article in
Many states and colonies across the globe issued detailed sets of directives to their residents on what exactly they should do if they come into contact with the illness. One such example is the directive issued by T.W.H. Holmes, the Secretary of the Victoria Board of Public Health in Australia. The directive details the symptoms, complications, treatment, and prevention of the disease. Something very common during the outbreak of any pandemic is the use of quarantines to separate the sick and the healthy. In fact, that is the first order for prevention of disease in T.W.H. Holme...
The world can also start helping by having camps in the rural areas and injecting new born babies with vaccinations for no cost. By implementing the above measures, it would cost some money and will take some time, although it would result in a world, free of the infectious disease, poliomyelitis.
Cholera has been affecting humans for many centuries. Cholera is a severe gastrointestinal disorder that is characterized by severe diarrhea and vomiting. There have been many outbreaks of cholera noted historically, the most important occurring in 19th century England. In 1854, Dr. John Snow performed a study in London that led to his discovery of the disease’s main source. He was able to trace it to the poor sewer, waste, and water management from one of the major water sources of London residents, the “Broad Street pump”. When this water pump was removed, the deaths by cholera slowed and eventually stopped. Although he had not
...ary 2014)”. The Ebola epidemic helps remind the U.S. That other nations are there to work with them, and unite to prevent a rapid growing disease. CDC partners with programs from other nations, such as the Global Disease Detection Centers, and the Field Epidemiology Training Program, which work to stop the Ebola virus. Information systems will grow stronger, more partnerships dedicated to stopping outbreaks will be formed and laboratory security will also grow. The writer of the paper cannot agree more to this.
After the smallpox pandemic, science has done a lot to cure and control most other outbreaks of diseases. But with the shortage of healthcare and medication in the developing regions, what is there to stop many diseases from spreading. In Kenya, there is only 1 doctor for over 5000 people. How does 1 doctor make sure 5000 people are not in trouble with a live-threatening disease?
In the 1960s, doctors in the United States predicted that infectious diseases were in decline. US surgeon Dr. William H. Stewart told the nation that it had already seen most of the frontiers in the field of contagious disease. Epidemiology seemed destined to become a scientific backwater (Karlen 1995, 3). Although people thought that this particular field was gradually dying, it wasn’t. A lot more of it was destined to come. By the late 1980s, it became clear that people’s initial belief of infectious diseases declining needed to be qualified, as a host of new diseases emerged to infect human beings (Smallman & Brown, 2011).With the current trends, the epidemics and pandemics we have faced have created a very chaotic and unreliable future for mankind. As of today, it has really been difficult to prevent global epidemics and pandemics. Although the cases may be different from one state to another, the challenges we all face are all interconnected in this globalized world.
London, England. The.. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine n.d., Session 5: The role of the state. in global health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England. Ricci J.
Infants, young children, elderly people, and people with underlying health conditions are most likely to get cholera because of their high risk of dehydration. On top of that, in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water like Haiti, Southeast Asia, and Africa, cholera spreads very quickly. Cholera is a global disease that spreads to different countries by international travel or imported goods such as contaminated seafood. On a yearly basis, there are about 100,000...
Preventing diseases is every countries’ responsibility, whether they are poor or rich. Poor countries lack the knowledge and the money to gain, and expand medical resources. Therefore, many people are not been able to be cured. For wealthy countries, diseases are mutating at incredible speeds. Patients are dying because drug companies do not have enough data to produce vaccines to cure patients. When developed countries help poor countries to cure their people, the developed countries could help underdeveloped countries. Since developed countries can provide greater medical resources to poor countries, people living in the poor countries could be cured. As for the developed countries, they can collect samples from the patients so that the drug companies can produce new vaccines for new diseases. When trying to cure diseases, developed countries and poor countries would have mu...
There are numerous public health problems that can be addressed in my Southside of Chicago community. Among the several public health problems facing my Southside of Chicago community there are two that are more urgent. Health education or one might say lack thereof is a problem that needs to be addressed. My community is plagued with many of the residents suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, and the killer virus known as HIV. In most cases these conditions can be prevented with healthier lifestyles and access to nutritious organic foods. In addition, environmental health is another urgent problem my community is facing. Access to clean, safe water and air is supposed to be a fundamental human right aimed at a healthy environment. Yet, my community consists a waste contaminated beach, numerous deteriorated building that are still occupied, and a countless number of restaurant and stores supplying our residents with services that are endangering their health.
The Ebola Virus is breaking out in many countries, according to the U.S Senate documents. The countries Ebola has taken over have very limited resources and this makes it difficult to tranquil the disease. The disease is being spread faster than it can be controlled. At first we only heard about Ebola in other countries, but when it spread to the United States, our country started to worry and we became stressed. “If we take proper safety measurements the outbreaks can be minimized and hopefully prevented (Federal Info)”.
Public Health is the science of preventing disease and promoting health through many different ideas and functions by informing society and different community-based organizations. The idea behind Public Health is to protect and serve; it helps improve the lives of countless individuals through promoting a healthier lifestyle, education, research, prevention, detection, and response management. From the beginning, the idea of Public Health has become a stepping-stone that is essential to the longevity of humans and the environment. As society progresses and new advents are created or modified, Public Health