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Global Health issues are escalating due to transportation advancements, changes in agricultural practices, and a globalized economy.
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GlobalHealthAndTheHealth ChallengesFacedGlobally GlobalHealthissuesareescalatingduetotransportation advancements,changesinagriculturalpractices,anda globalized economy.Asaresult,physiciansandmedicaladvisorsmustlookinto thehealthproblemsgloballyandinfluencepatientstoundertake preventionefforts. TheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)haslistedsomeoftheurgent challengesof globalhealththattheworldmayfaceoverthecoming decade.Thelistgivesanoverviewofcriticalhealthissuesand demandsananswerfromcommunities,governments,andinternationalagencies.AccordingtoWHO,theseagenciesmustwork togethertoaddressglobalhealthchallenges. Beforeknowingmoreaboutglobalhealthissues,letusfirst understandwhatglobalhealthisanditsimportance. GlobalHealth GlobalHealthisanunderstandingofinterdisciplinaryand internationallevelhealthcare.Itisanamalgamationofresearch, study,andpracticeofmedicineto improvehealthandhealthcare equityglobally. WorldHealthOrganizationisarenownedagencyconstantlyworking towardglobalhealthissues.Today,leadersandresearchersfrom variousfieldsarealsospearheadingendeavorstoworktogetherand addressthechallengesofglobalhealth. ImportanceofGlobalHealth Globalhealthisessentialbecauseourinterconnectedworldand healthissuesinfluenceourhealthasindividualhumanbeings. Inrecentdecades,increasingglobaltradeandtravelhashadprosand cons.CommunicableinfectiousdiseasessuchasCOVID-19quickly
spreadglobally.However,non-communicablediseasessuchas obesityarealsospreadingduetotheconnectedworld. Hereisalistofthesixmostprominentglobalhealthissuesthatneed tobeaddressed. TransmissibleDiseasesandPandemics Wearewellawareofhowtransmissiblediseasescandisrupt everythingglobally.TherecentCOVID-19Pandemicisanexample thatshowshowinfectiousdiseasescancrossbordersandcreate healthproblemsglobally.Otherexamplesofpandemicsare influenzaoutbreaks,HIV/AIDS,malaria,Ebola,etc.,mostofwhich originatefromanimals.Infectiousdiseasesspreadquicklydueto developmentpolicies,politics,andenvironmentaldamage.Every year,newpandemicthreatsemergeandputusin fearofshutting downfromtheworld. TherecentPandemichasshowna gapincontainmentand preparation.Vaccinationhelps,butitisnecessaryto addressissues likeresponsibleagriculturalpracticesandhealtheducation. Researchershavealsorecommendedglobalrisk reliefmeasuresthat mayhelpevenafteranoutspreadofdiseases. Non-TransmissibleDiseases AccordingtoWHO,around70percentofdeathsresultfromnon- transmissiblediseasessuchascancer,heartdisease,diabetes,stroke, etc.Evenobesityhasbecomeoneofthemajorhealthproblems globally.Ontheotherhand,cancerleadstothedeathrateinhighly pollutedcountrieshavingrelativelylonglifeexpectancy. Topreventnon-communicablediseases,educatingpopulationsto understandandchangetheirlifestylehabitssuchasinactivity,poor diets,andtheuseoftobaccoandalcoholplaysavitalrole. Thoughresearchershavenotestablishedarelationbetweenthe prevalenceofNCDsandincomelevel,theWHOnotesthat85%of NCD-relateddeathsoccurinlowandmiddle-incomecountries.NCDs
arethemostextensiveglobalhealthissues,andreducingthem requiresreducingfactorsinlower-incomecommunities. Environment Howdoestheenvironmentresultinhealthproblemsglobally?The answertothisiswatersourcesandsanitation. Diseasesspreadwhenthereisastorm,flood,drought,andair pollution,affectinglargechunksof thepopulation.Thesolutionliesinprovidingsanitationtechnology,bottledwater,etc.However, preventionshouldbethefirststeptoaddressingglobalhealthissues. AccordingtoDr.Macpherson,themostsignificantglobalhealthissue isClimatechange.Itisaconsiderablethreat,andtheinternational policiesformitigatinghumankind'scontributiontoclimatechangeare gainingtraction. Healsoenlistslegislationsofnumerouscountriesasevidence.For example,somepoliciesregulateindividualhouseholdenergy consumption,whereassomeencourageenvironmentallysafepractices inindustriesonalargescale. AccordingtoWorldBankData,around50percentoftheworld's populationresidesin urbanareas.Hence,such changescanhave profoundbenefitsonglobalhealthissues. GlobalInequality Thoughtherehasbeenrelentlessprogressinmedicine,various communitiesfromaroundtheworldarestillnotabletoaccess minimumhealtheducationandhealthcare.Asaresult,itleadsto healthdisparitieslikehighinfantdeathratesthatareoften geographicallyrelated. Incomeinequalitybetweenindividualsandfamiliesalsoresultsin availablehealthcarethattheycannotafford.Ontheotherhand, economicdisparitiesbetweencountriesalsoresultinchallengesof globalhealth.Economicallysoundcountrieshaveadvanced healthcaresystemthateverypatientcanaffordandisavailableto
themquickly.However,economicallylessdevelopedcountries' healthcaresystemsareweak,andtheirpopulationstrugglesto access them.Everyyear,theinabilityto accesshealthcarecausesmillionsof prematuredeaths. Globalhealthprofessionalsmustsolvethesechallengesofglobal healthbyexploringopportunitiesforupliftingunderrepresented communitiesthroughpublichealthforums,encouragingdoctorsto practiceinbackwardandremoteregions,andamendingpoliciesthat canincreasehealthcareaccessandreducebarriers. AnimalandAgriculturalSupplies Humansaredependentonanimalsto alargeextent.Whetherfoodor transportationor clothing,animalsareaprimesourceof various necessitiesforhumans.VeterinaryPublicHealthofficesensure animalwellnesswhichisnecessaryforthesurvivalofhumans. Variousagriculturalpracticessuchaspesticideuse,irrigation,and wastemanagementcaninfluenceanimalhealthsignificantly.Itmakes diseasetransmissionathreatateverystageofthefoodchain.Thus,thesignificantroleofanimalandanimalproductpathogensindisease transmissioninsistsonincludingveterinarymedicineineffortstocurbglobalhealthissues. Politics Internationalpoliticsworsentheinadequateaccessto healthcare. Averagecitizensaremorepronetodiseasesinnationswithless criticalinfrastructurebecauseofconflictswithinorwithother countries.Itthusleadsthemtogoforopportunitiestoescapethe problematicconditionsthreateningthewell-beingoftheircitizens. Theillnessescanspreadquicklythroughmigration.However, organizationslikeWHOaimforasolutiontoimproverefugeeand migranthealth.Itcanbemadepossiblebyorganizingcross-border endorsementpoliciestoshortenhumanitariancrisisresponseswith long-termhealthcarecriticalprogress.
Conclusion Withthecountriesandeconomiesconnecting,thecomingyearswill faceariseinglobalhealthissues.Increasingtradeandwealthcan inculcateimprovementsin humanhealthandbringnewthreats.The challengesofglobalhealthwillincludetransmissiblediseasesand persistentchronicdisordersforyearsahead,butdoctorsand researchersareworkinggloballytoimproveglobalhealth.