In celebration of World Health Day, global health challenges are some of the hottest topics in recent times. The 2020 coronavirus pandemic did not just shut the world down, it taught us that we are not as safe as we think, no matter how medically advanced we think we are. The world is truly a global village, and a health crisis in one country can spread to the rest of the world like wildfire.
As the world celebrates World Health Day on April 7, which remembers the founding of WHO in 1948, it is important to raise awareness about global health challenges and how to tackle them. Therefore, here are the top 4 global health challenges that we need to tackle before they turn to something too complicated to handle.
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4 global health challenges we need to tackle
Mental crisis
Mental health is one topic that is gaining momentum in terms of awareness but it still not talked about enough. Everyday, more people are plunged into this health challenge due to a variety of reasons, including poverty, violence, disability and inequality. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 970 million people globally were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression the most common in 2019.
In Nigeria, a whopping 20% of people, which is around 40 million, are affected by mental illness. People who suffer from severe mental health conditions die 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population. In fact, having mental health issues increases the risk of suicide and experiencing human rights violations.
These statistics simply mean there is fire on the mountain as far as this health challenge is concerned. It is not limited to a continent, region or country. It is a global health challenge that needs all hands on deck to handle. An effective approach is for the government and other concerned organisations to set up solutions to address these issues. Provide basic amenities, create awareness that mental health issues are real and provide avenues where victims can find help.
However, remember that the government should not be burdened to play the “big brother” role in this cause. Everyone of us should join hands together to fight this crisis. Something as simple as being kind to one another, looking out for our neighbours, just showing love can go a long way to helping people struggling with mental health issues fight against them. A simple act of kindness can be the motivation for one who has given up on humanity to believe again.
Maternal health
You may think this is 2025, maternal health is no longer a problem. You are definitely wrong. WHO estimated that over 700 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth everyday in 2023. Over 90% of all maternal deaths occurred in low- and lower-middle-income countries, with sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia accounting for around 87% (225 000). Although the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has significantly dropped to 40%, it is still unacceptably high.
Over 70% of those at risk of maternal mortality are women and girls ages 15 to 49. The age bracket are mostly victims of gender-based violence (GBV), early marriage, unplanned pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and lack of access to adequate medical care.
To prevent maternal deaths, girls and women should be empowered with education and financial capacities to take care of themselves. Girls and women should avoid unplanned pregnancies. This also involves spread of awareness to practice safe sex or abstinence. Most importantly, all girls and women need access to high quality care in pregnancy, and during and after childbirth.
Threat of pandemic diseases
The world is yet to fully recover from the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic despite the fact that it has been five years it happened. Future outbreaks of infectious diseases is predicted to be inevitable, but global preparedness for such occurrences have remained largely inadequate for global needs.
However, if there is anything COVID has taught us, it is the fact that diagnostics and testing data are important. They drive public heath decision-making and control transmission, keeping people, communities and economies safe. Giving global attention to the threats of future pandemics can help in preventing them from happening and if they do, cushioning the effects to minimum damages.
In other words, diagnostics should be seen as a cornerstone or a pre-emptive measure for response and containment of any future pandemic. Creating more updated diagnostics tools like genome sequencing is essential to quickly spot new variants that may evade diagnostic tests. They can lead to better medical treatments or vaccines. This means that less people will die, thanks to early warning and response using these tools.
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Access to adequate healthcare
In an ideal world, every people have the right to quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. Unfortunately, we are not in an ideal world, which means many people, especially in sub-Sahara Africa and Asia, do not have access to quality healthcare. For instance, WHO revealed that the world is off track to make significant progress towards universal health coverage (Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 3.8) by 2030.
Since 2015, improvements to health services coverage have stagnated. In 2021, about 4.5 billion people were not fully covered by essential health services. This has led to 1 billion people making expensive health costs and about 344 million people going deeper into extreme poverty due to these health costs.
To tackle this global problem, WHO recommends implementing the primary health care (PHC) approach which is less expensive and more inclusive to enhance people’s physical, mental health and social wellbeing. It can also enhance efficiency, minimise system fragmentation, and improve access for remote populations.
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As we celebrate World Health Day, let us bear in mind that health is wealth. To build a thriving economy and country, health should be put at the forefront. This means governments, organisations and individuals should prioritise health as an essential part of a development plan. Finally, global health crisis are real but there are solutions. However, it requires efforts from everyone if we want to overcome. Nothing is too small to do. Even a simple act of kindness can help someone make significant improvements in their health and make their environment a better place to live and thrive.
