10 Ways to Tackle Health Emergencies in 2021
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released a list of 10 global health issues that need to be tracked in the year. The list includes the health issues that the world can face in 2021 because of the inadequacies of health systems across the world due to coronavirus.
10 Ways to tackle health emergencies in 2021
The ten ways that will help the countries to improve their preparedness for any emergency in the year 2021 are:
- Building global solidarity for health security: All the countries are required to work together for improving preparedness for health emergencies.
- Increasing access to Covid-19 tests, vaccines, and medicines: Equal access to COVID-19 tests, vaccines and medication is the topmost priority of 2021. The WHO will continue to work on the pillars of Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. The main targets includes-establishing testing for 500 million people in low- and middle-income countries; distributing 2 billion COVID-19 vaccines; providing 245 million treatments and strengthening the health systems.
- The third way is Advance health for all- There is a need to strengthen health systems. Also, implementation of primary healthcare programme of WHO in countries.
- Handling health inequities- COVID-19 has shown the differences that are present within the countries and between different countries. There is a need to address health inequities related to disability, income, ethnicity, gender, education, employment conditions, etc.
- Providing global leadership on science and data: WHO will evaluate the latest scientific developments related to COVID-19.
- Revitalizing efforts to counter communicable diseases: WHO will help countries in getting vaccines for polio and other diseases to the people who missed out during the pandemic.
- Combating drug resistance: Effective medicines are required to end any infectious disease. WHO will ensure that antimicrobial resistance is factored into health system strengthening and health emergency preparedness plans.
- Preventing and treating NCDs and mental health conditions: As per WHO, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were one of the top causes of death in the year 2019, and in 2020 people with NCDs were unsafe to Covid-19. The main focus in 2021 will be a new Global Diabetes Compact, and a Quit Tabacco campaign for helping 100 million people quit tobacco.
- Building back better: In 2021, there is an opportunity of building a “better, greener, healthier world”.
- Act in solidarity: The need of the hour is greater solidarity.
This COVID-19 pandemic can give a setback to the healthcare system and to the progress in healthcare that has been globally achieved in the last 20 years.