Most of the time, the healthcare sector remains a low priority on the to-do list of incumbent governments. That’s why public health initiatives fall within governments’ constrained funding categories.
The public is also more concerned about employment opportunities than universal healthcare, and these are one of the many shortfalls that lead to disrupting consequences within the healthcare system.
Hence, the rapid growth in infections, chronic diseases, and emerging outbreaks are the outcomes of continuous neglect of the public health system.
The impact is even more complex and wide-ranging. As such, the recent outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has hampered progress and even threatened the survival of other sectors. Thus catering to public issues is crucial to avoid catastrophic consequences.
Only a robust and well-structured public health system can prevent emerging diseases and contain existing ones. Ultimately, achieving public healthcare objectives contribute to global health safety agendas. The following sections explore why prioritizing and managing public health issues is crucial at present.
1. Consistent malnutrition and stunted growth
Years of effort in the form of millennial and sustainable development goals could not produce desired outcomes. Even the most basic healthcare securities, including universal access to a substantial, hygienic, and nutritious diet, remain global healthcare agendas today.
Though poverty and food insecurity facilitate these problems, inadequate awareness regarding primary healthcare problems is also a significant contributor. As a consequence, malnutrition and stunted growth remain one of the most concerning global issues.
In addition, the inclusion of unqualified and inexperienced public healthcare workers delays the achievement of primary healthcare objectives. Thus a comprehensive solution also requires strengthening the expertise and knowledge of public workers.
Specifically, substituting their knowledge with a masters in public health online degree is not only convenient but an effective solution for dealing with emerging healthcare crises. Eventually, a well-prepared and qualified workforce can propagate and instill fundamental healthcare lessons more effectively.
2. Prevalence of chronic illnesses
Though chronic diseases may emerge from genetic impairments, various behavioral, physiological, and ecological factors also play a huge role. Specifically, unhealthy dietary practices, sedentary lifestyles, and drug abuse further complicate the situation.
As a result, approximately 71% of global deaths annually are associated with chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, malignancies, and respiratory ailments.
The inability to contain, prevent the occurrence, and educate the public about precautionary measures have facilitated growing complications of these non-communicable diseases. Though the complicated stage requires advanced treatment, containing growth causes failure within the core of public health.
Furthermore, improving access to healthcare, early intervention, socioeconomic conditions, and categorizing risk factors can minimize their onset and complications.
It is why educating the public is one of the main agendas of public healthcare workers and global initiatives. Their involvement at the grassroots level significantly contributes to enhancing awareness on hygiene, dietary requirements, and active lifestyle.
Otherwise, studies predict a startling increase in global disease load and premature deaths in the coming years.
3. Unprecedented and uncontrolled outbreaks
Since public healthcare infiltrates influence on a community level, their role is vital in preventing, surveilling, detecting, reporting, and containing outbreaks. However, the current pandemic has exposed several loopholes and weaknesses of the healthcare sector and its incapacity to cope with emergencies.
Though many hope to return to their everyday lives, seeing off the pandemic altogether may be another apparent oblivion and denial. It is why experts believe the current global scenario is a new reality. Most importantly, the ongoing situation highlights why refocusing on public health is inevitable.
Undeniably, humans cannot obliterate every cause of a healthcare emergency. However, predicting the occurrence and causes of emerging diseases is crucial for a calculated and effective response against such ailments.
Similarly, observing prevalent shortfalls, including performance, control measures, administration, and other underlying sources, are equally important.
In addition, improving healthcare workers’ coordination and engagement with the public can be effective measures to confine and control suspected outbreaks. As a result, it is possible to reduce the influence of upcoming crises and focus on existing healthcare issues.
4. Substance abuse and its growing influence
Substance abuse is one of the most severe public health threats around the world. Its status indicates the public’s and stakeholders’ unconcerned attitude towards the consequences of drug dependency.
Its prevalence also highlights that public healthcare workers’ efforts fall short in informing communities about the perils of drug abuse.
The inability to access healthcare services pushes people to opt for self-medication, which is one of the cases of drug dependency. Likewise, neglected healthcare problems, including mental and physiological, also facilitate the consumption and exploitation of substances.
As a consequence, millions of deaths are the outcome of substance abuse and dependency.
Easily manageable drug exploitation further complicates and loads the healthcare sector with a drastic disease burden each year. Their impact does not just fall within the healthcare system but also translates to social and economic disturbances. At this point, exploring and uprooting contributing factors are crucial to saving lives and prevent subsequent challenges.
5. Alarming spread rate of infectious diseases
At present, the statistics of infectious diseases are more alarming than ever before. Regardless of rigorous research, immunization drives, and public awareness, the healthcare sector is still battling several infections like HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis, Polio, and Tuberculosis. Similarly, almost wiped out infectious diseases like Measles and Polio are reemerging.
According to the World Health Organization, Hepatitis B alone is burdening the healthcare system with 1.5 million new cases annually. Even though potential vaccines offer almost 100% immunity against the virus, the rate of infectious spread remains high. Hence, the global situation indicates the gravity of insubstantial healthcare measures.
Insubstantial immunization, unsafe intercourse, blood transfusion, and uncoordinated consensus are the common causes of the worsening situation. Thus it is important to examine potential factors and devise effective policies to control the transmission of life-threatening pathogens.
Similarly, understating the transmission route, infectious rate, infectious agents, and influencing factors are equally essential in containing the spread of such contagious diseases.
Concluding remarks
Even though the entire healthcare sector is struggling to achieve universal well-being objectives, achieving confidence even in public awareness remains distant. As a consequence of preventable gaps, public health is prone to several chronic and acute ailments.
Furthermore, these gaps facilitate the emergence of frequent and widespread healthcare emergencies. Thus identifying fundamental causes and executing a comprehensive approach is essential to manage public health issues effectively.
Isreal olabanji a dental assistant and public health professionals and has years of experience in assisting the dentist with all sorts of dental issues.
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