Communicable diseases hamper the development of the poorest countries. This is the essence of a study conducted by The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) that highlights the lack of attention to such diseases, making them turn into epidemics. Complacency towards the possibility of epidemics is the crux of the study entitled ‘The epidemic divide.’
“The social and economic consequences of epidemics in developing countries need to be better evaluated. People hit by epidemics usually die or – in the case of polio – get disabled – in their most productive years, when they are young. Their death or even the very fact of them being ill for a long time prevents them from using the skills they learned at school, cultivate their land, take care of their elderly parents as well as younger brothers and sisters just, to give a few examples,” explains Dr. Tammam Aloudat, IFRC Senior Officer for health in emergencies in Geneva.
Communicable diseases hinder development because they negate much of the potential of the entire community. Dengue fever, for example, causes 18,000 deaths annually, a relatively low figure compared to other more virulent epidemics. However, in the world there are nine million people who suffer from this disease, and cannot lead a normal life, thus posing serious socioeconomic burden for the communities to which they belong. A few months ago in Argentina, for instance, the spread of a dengue outbreak affected about 11,000 people (these statistics are official figures, but NGOs claim that the number of those affected is much higher).
Complacency by the international community which, according to the IFRC, tend to think wrongly that the epidemics are unique to the Third World is one of the threats of the fight against epidemics.
The solutions to eradicate epidemics are not easy, however. According to the IFRC, the reduction of the impact of infectious diseases involves addressing complex issues in relation to disease prevention, empowering communities, building partnerships, improving access to health services throughout the community, and construction of infrastructure especially in the water and sanitation sector.
Via IFRC
