Potential dangers in the context of globalization

In the context of globalization and rapid increase in international trade, infectious diseases have become a major threat to global public health.

Emerging and re-emerging diseases: Potential dangers in the context of globalization

In the context of globalization and rapid increase in international trade, infectious diseases have become a major threat to global public health.

Emerging and re-emerging diseases not only have serious impacts on health but also have strong impacts on health, economic and social systems.

Vaccination against emerging infectious diseases is one of the effective preventive measures.

Diseases such as Covid-19, Ebola, Zika, and more recently new strains of influenza, are raising concerns about the ability of health systems to respond and the vigilance of communities in protecting personal and public health.

Emerging diseases are diseases that have never appeared before or have appeared but have not yet caused serious outbreaks.

These diseases are often difficult to detect, diagnose and treat, because of a lack of information and effective treatments. Emerging diseases often originate from strange viruses or bacteria, which have the ability to spread quickly and easily.

Re-emerging diseases are diseases that have appeared before but were controlled or reduced, then re-emerged strongly, causing many cases of illness and death.

The causes of recurrence may be related to factors such as changes in living conditions, the emergence of new strains of bacteria or viruses, or resistance of microorganisms to drugs.

The danger from emerging and re-emerging diseases, according to experts, can spread quickly and widely. Accordingly, with the easy movement of people and goods, diseases can spread from one area to another in a short time.

Epidemics such as Covid-19, Ebola, and Zika have demonstrated the rapid spread of pathogens across borders and between countries. This creates major challenges in disease control.

Emerging diseases are characterized by surprise. Global health systems are often ill-prepared and unable to respond to emergencies, resulting in shortages of facilities, medicines, personnel and resources. This makes disease control more difficult.

Emerging or re-emerging strains of viruses and bacteria can develop drug resistance, reducing the effectiveness of traditional treatments. This is becoming a serious problem in disease control.

The pandemic not only causes health damage but also has negative impacts on socio-economic activities. Lockdown measures, social distancing, and travel restrictions reduce economic output, increase unemployment, and lead to mental crisis for people.

Additionally, health care systems face enormous pressure to treat and cope with the increasing number of patients.

Some diseases can leave long-term effects on patients, affecting their quality of life. For example, after recovering from Covid-19, many patients still experience health problems such as difficulty breathing, persistent fatigue, and neurological disorders.

Reality shows that emerging and re-emerging diseases are becoming a major threat, not only in Vietnam but also globally. According to Mr. Nguyen Luong Tam, Deputy Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, more than 70% of emerging diseases start from animals and spread to humans.

These diseases include HIV, influenza, dengue fever, and more recently, monkeypox (Mpox) and anthrax. These diseases are highly contagious and difficult to control without timely preventive measures.

In Vietnam, in 2024, the number of seasonal flu cases increased rapidly with hundreds of thousands of cases and many deaths. In particular, infectious diseases such as dengue fever, hand, foot and mouth disease, and measles also showed signs of increasing. Therefore, disease prevention is becoming more urgent than ever.

To prevent emerging and re-emerging diseases, health agencies and governments need to focus on surveillance, especially for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Early detection and control of disease signs will help minimize their spread and negative impacts.

Mr. Tam said that each individual needs to have the right awareness of disease prevention measures. Implementing personal hygiene measures such as washing hands regularly, wearing masks, and avoiding contact with people with symptoms of the disease will help reduce the risk of infection.

Vaccination against emerging infectious diseases is one of the effective preventive measures. Talking to reporters of Dau Tu Newspaper, Dr. Nguyen Tuan Hai, Safpo/Potec vaccination system said that in addition to vaccination, research and development of new treatment drugs also play an important role in the fight against these dangerous epidemics.

In addition, we need to increase investment in the health system, provide adequate facilities and train human resources to be able to respond promptly to epidemics. Health systems must be ready to handle emergencies and treat a large number of patients.

“The epidemic not only affects people’s physical health but also seriously impacts their psychology. Community psychological support programs to help people overcome crisis and anxiety during the epidemic are also very necessary,” said Dr. Tuan Hai.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/dich-benh-moi-noi-va-tai-noi-moi-nguy-tiem-an-trong-boi-canh-toan-cau-hoa-d232690.html