2023-07-11 22:00:59
Unplanned urbanization and climate change can create favorable conditions for the spread of vector-borne diseases.
Alliances allow better coordination between the different actors involved in the prevention and control of health problems.
World Population Day is commemorated every July 11, a date dedicated to raising awareness about the challenges and opportunities associated with population growth.
Currently the world population exceeds eight billion people and more than half reside in urban areas, although it is estimated that this proportion will increase in the coming years. As a result of this situation, phenomena such as the climate change that have a direct impact on health due to the appearance of new diseases and the worsening of existing ones.
increasingly extreme weather
The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, floods, and droughts, also increases the spread of vector-borne diseases. Some are dengue or malaria, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, the migration patterns of animals are also altered, which can increase the risk of zoonotic diseases.
Added to this, densely populated and poorly planned cities can create conditions conducive to the spread of disease. For example, rising temperatures, lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increase the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. In the same way they promote the proliferation of others transmitted by mosquitoes because they deposit their eggs in stagnant water.
The COVID-19 pandemic recently highlighted the devastating effects that a disease can have on the population and highlighted the crucial role of preventive measures and immunization in protecting lives.
Until June 2022, this new disease had claimed the lives of 6.3 million people worldwide. However, Thanks to vaccines and international collaboration, 20 million deaths were prevented globally. related to this disease.
As the most recent pandemic demonstrated, public health partnerships are essential because they allow for better coordination between the different actors involved in disease prevention and control.
This includes governments, non-governmental organizations, health professionals, academia, the pharmaceutical industry and the general population. By working together, they can share information and resources to more effectively address public health challenges, work to reduce the exposure to air and water pollution and promote research and development.
In Mexico, alliances have been established at different levels to protect public health, such as those that exist with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Work done in Mexico
At the state level, one example is the recently announced Interstate Strategy against Dengue in Colima and Jaliscothrough which preventive actions will be carried out, in collaboration with the municipal governments and the teams of the AEDE Component (Strategic Actions against Dengue) of the Decentralized Public Body of Health Services Jalisco, for the massive elimination of breeding sites of the transmitting mosquito .
In the municipalities, the authorities of Coahuila10 announced a campaign against dengue, zika and chikungunyain Piedras Negras, Ciudad Acuña, Sabinas, Monclova, Frontera, Cuatro Ciénegas, Torreón, Francisco I. Madero, San Pedro and Saltillo, municipalities with high incidence.
“To take care of public health it is essential to adopt a comprehensive approach that involves governments, national and international organizations, local communities and individuals. Sanitary infrastructures must be improved, hygiene and sanitation promoted, and education on disease prevention must be provided. These measures must be implemented at the international, federal, state, and municipal levels”, highlights Dr. Julio Álvarez, Lead Associate Director of the Vaccine Therapeutics Area at Takeda Mexico.
It is essential to recognize the importance of addressing these challenges through preventive measures, the creation of public health alliances and the strengthening of health and sanitation infrastructures. He Climate change goes beyond extreme cold and heat because in the end it also affects diseases.
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