3rd QUARTER: GLOBAL HEALTH TRENDS, ISSUES, AND CONCERNS

Global Health

Global health is the health of populations in a global context; it has been defined as "the
area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity
in health for all people worldwide". Problems that transcend national borders or have a global
political and economic impact are often emphasized. Thus, global health is about worldwide health
improvement, reduction of disparities, and protection against global threats that disregard national
borders. Global health is not to be confused with international health, which is defined as the
branch of public health focusing on developing nations and foreign aid efforts by industrialized
countries.

Agency associated with global health:

1. The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization to

promote international co-operation. The headquarters of the United
Nations is in Manhattan, New York City, and experiences
extraterritoriality. Further main offices are situated in Geneva, Nairobi and
Vienna. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary
contributions from its member states. Its objectives include maintaining
international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social
and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing
humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.

2. The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the

United Nations (UN) that is concerned with international public health.
WHO’s primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within
the United Nations’ system. Their function were:
 to provide leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in
partnerships where joint action is needed;
 shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation,
translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge;
 setting norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their
implementation;
 articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
 providing technical support, catalyzing change, and building
sustainable institutional capacity;
 and monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends.

3. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United

Nations' global development network. Headquartered in New York City,
UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge,
experience and resources to help people build a better life. It provides
expert advice, training, and grant support to developing countries, with
increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries.
FUNCTIONS:
 Democratic governance
 Democratic governance
 Poverty reduction
 Crisis prevention and recovery
 Environment and Energy
 Hub for Innovative Partnerships
 Human Development Report and Evaluation

4. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is a United Nations

Program headquartered in New York City that provides long-term
 humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in
developing countries. It is a subsidiary organization of United Nations that
was established after World War II in December 1946. The main aim of
the organization is to provide proper health care and food to children and
women of the world.
Following are some of the functions of UNICEF:
 Providing Basic Education Infrastructure to the world
 Increasing Child Survival rate in the developing world.
 Gender equality through education for girls.
 Protection of children from any form of violence and abuse
 Protecting and advocating the rights of children.
 Immunization of infants from different diseases.
 Provision of adequate nutrition and safe drinking water to children
5. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations
(UN). Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting
international collaboration through education, science, and culture to
further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights
along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in the United Nations
Charter. UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs:
EDUCATION, NATURAL SCIENCES, SOCIAL/HUMAN SCIENCES,
CULTURE, AND COMMUNICATION/INFORMATION. UNESCO's aim is
"to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty,
sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education,
the sciences, culture, communication and information". Other priorities
of the organization include attaining quality Education For All and
lifelong learning, addressing emerging social and ethical challenges,
fostering cultural diversity, a culture of peace and building inclusive
knowledge societies through information and communication.
6. The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food assistance branch of
the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization
addressing hunger and promoting food security. The World Food
Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger
worldwide. In emergencies, WFP get food to where it is needed, saving
the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After the
cause of an emergency has passed, we use food to help communities
rebuild their shattered lives.
7. The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides
loans to developing countries for capital programs. The World Bank is a
component of the World Bank Group, and a member of the United
Nations Development Group. The World Bank's official goal is the
reduction of poverty. According to its Articles of Agreement, all its
decisions must be guided by a commitment to the promotion of foreign
investment and international trade and to the facilitation of Capital
investment.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

 The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the eight international development goals
established after the United Nations (UN) Millennium Summit in 2000. The Millennium
Development Goals was originated from Millennium Declaration of the United Nations, the main
output of the Millennium Summit in 2000, with a concrete target and indicators. All the 189 UN
member-states, including the Philippines, and other international organizations signified their
commitment in achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015:

1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Developing countries suffer from extreme
poverty and hunger. Poverty and hunger
leads to severe malnutrition which leads
to lifelong physical and cognitive (learning
and reasoning) damage and affects
health, well-being and the economy
Poverty, food prices and hunger are
inextricably linked. Poverty causes
hunger. Not every poor person is hungry,
but almost all hungry people are poor.
Millions live with hunger and
malnourishment because they simply
cannot afford to buy enough food, cannot
afford nutritious foods or cannot afford the
farming supplies they need to grow
enough good food of their own. Hunger
can be viewed as a dimension of extreme
poverty. It is often called the most severe
and critical manifestation of poverty.

2. Achieve universal primary education

Goal 2 aims to ensure that children everywhere can complete a full course of primary
schooling. Education is crucial for creating opportunities and choices for youth, and is
integral to breaking the cycle of poverty and improving health conditions. However, for
115 million children who do not attend primary school or complete their primary
education, poverty and health are also major barriers to attending school. Children
must choose between working to support their families and going to school, and in
some families, girls are expected to stay home and help with the chores – a trend that
forces girl children to forgo their own education. Many young people cannot afford
school fees and uniforms, and are thus unable to attend school. Inadequate teacher
training compounds the issue, lowering the quality of education for those children who
can attend and causing critical teacher shortages, a factor that is even more severe in
regions with high rates of disease such as HIV/AIDS. On a governmental level,
increased funding for primary education, equitable distribution of education funds, and
adequate support for teacher training are all essential in achieving Goal 2. Persons,
particularly women who are educated, are more likely to seek medical care especially
during pregnancy, ensuring proper nutrition for their family, adopting healthy sanitary
practices and ensuring immunization of children. As an effect, infants and children have
better survival rates, are healthier and better nourished
3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Gender equality refers to people
having the same opportunities and
access to basic needs, such as
education, employment, and
healthcare, regardless of whether they
are men or women. Gender equality
means equal representation of men
and women. It implies that all gender
should have equal value and
treatment. Equal gender treatment
empowers women and other groups
creating opportunities in education,
work, finances, and other aspects
which improves the economy and
lessen effects of financial crises.

4. Reduce child mortality rates

Programs and policies which help
reduce child mortality like improving
nutritional intake, healthcare facilities
and infrastructure, and other fields
which improve children’s lives.
Strengthening local and national
health programs and policies is one
way to reduce child mortality. Every
child born into this world deserves to
fully realize the potential of life and
their right to childhood, regardless of
where they are. Unfortunately, the
reality is that millions of children die of
preventable diseases each year; 11
million children in the developing world
die before the age of five, and 70% of
these deaths are due to disease or
malnutrition. In developing countries, 1
child in 10 dies before its fifth birthday,
compared with 1 in 143 in high-income
countries.

5. Improve Maternal Health

Improved maternal health is not only about
mother’s health but also involves the health and
wellness of the family. Maternal health also helps
eradicate other problems like poverty, gender
inequality, decreased workforce, lower birth
deaths, and disability of women. Every year
more than 500,000 women die from
complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
Worldwide, more than 50 million women suffer
from poor reproductive health and serious
pregnancy-related illness and disability. A
woman’s life is jeopardized when complications
arise during a pregnancy or childbirth and no
trained health providers are available to tend to
her needs. In developing countries only about
half of deliveries are attended by professional
health staff. The primary means of preventing
maternal deaths is to provide fast access to
medical centers and emergency care,
particularly in rural areas. Often, a woman in
extreme poverty simply does not have access to
transportation to an emergency medical facility.
Education is also a determining factor in
 maternal health, empowering women to make informed decisions about pregnancy and
better understand associated risk factors.
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis,
and Malaria are all
preventable diseases, but in
conditions of extreme
poverty each spread at an
alarming rate and is the
cause of death for millions of
people worldwide each year.
Goal 6 aims to stop, and
begin to reverse, the spread of HIV/AIDS, the incidence of malaria and other major
diseases. Emerging and re-emerging diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, influenza and
other diseases affect productivity and growth of nations. Some of the effects of disease
outbreak are loss of jobs, shortage in professional workers, and creating social crises.
Children are the most vulnerable and are exposed to exploitation and abuse
undermining their normal growth and development.

7. Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Caring for and sustaining the
environment does more than benefit our
consciences - it affects our health. The
water we drink, the fields we cultivate,
and the food we grow all come from the
earth, and it is our responsibility to
nourish it. A person’s health and
wellbeing are endangered by gutted
natural resources and toxic living conditions.
Goal 7 aims to improve the way we take care of the environment, so that natural
resources are available for future generations of people and other species. There is a
strong link between poverty and the environment as poor people, especially in least
developed countries, are more dependent on agriculture and natural resources and are
thus often the most severely affected by the pollution or destruction of them. Integrate
the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and
reverse the losses of environmental resources. People living in environmentally
unsound areas must be given more opportunities to participate in making decisions
that affect their environment. Investing and supporting sustainable energy like solar,
wind and water energy help support jobs, create business opportunities, and save
remaining non-renewable energy sources. Environmental sustainability assures
peoples to live healthier and enjoy a clean and green environment.
8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development
The Millennium Development Goals
represent a global partnership for
development. The deal makes clear that it
is the primary responsibility of developing
countries to work towards achieving the
first seven Goals. They must do their part
to ensure greater accountability and
efficient use of resources. But for
developing countries to achieve the first
seven Goals, it is absolutely critical that
developed countries deliver on their end of
the bargain with more and more effective
aid, more sustainable debt relief and fairer trade rules, well in advance of 2015.
Ensuring that this collaboration is a success is the objective of Goal 8.

Sustainable Developmental Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), officially known as known as Transforming

our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, are an intergovernmental set of
aspiration Goals with 169 targets. The Goals are contained in paragraph 51 United Nations
Resolution of 25 September 2015. The Resolution is a broader intergovernmental agreement that,
while acting as the Post 2015 Development Agenda (successor to the Millennium Development
Goals), builds on the Principles agreed upon under Resolution, popularly known as The Future We
Want.

The Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, build on the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to
achieving by 2015. The MDGs, adopted in 2000, aimed at an array of issues that included slashing
poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, and access to water and sanitation. Enormous
progress has been made on the MDGs, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by
goals and targets. Despite this success, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.

The new SDGs, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further than the MDGs,
addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all
people.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Extreme poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 1990. While this is a remarkable achievement, one in five people in
developing regions still live on less than $1.25 a day, and there are millions more who make little more than this daily amount, plus
many people risk slipping back into poverty.
Poverty is more than the lack of income and resources to ensure a sustainable livelihood. Its manifestations include hunger and
malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion as well as the lack of
participation in decision-making. Economic growth must be inclusive to provide sustainable jobs and promote equality.
Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
It is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food. If done right, agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide
nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting people-centered rural development and protecting the
environment. Right now, our soils, freshwater, oceans, forests and biodiversity are being rapidly degraded. Climate change is
putting even more pressure on the resources we depend on, increasing risks associated with disasters such as droughts and floods.
Many rural women and men can no longer make ends meet on their land, forcing them to migrate to cities in search of
opportunities. A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish today’s 795 million
hungry and the additional 2 billion people expected by 2050.
The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development, and is central for hunger and poverty eradication.
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides
have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers associated with child and maternal
mortality. Major progress has been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio
and the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, many more efforts are needed to fully eradicate a wide range of diseases and address many
different persistent and emerging health issues.
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development. Major progress has been
made towards increasing access to education at all levels and increasing enrolment rates in schools particularly for women and
girls. Basic literacy skills have improved tremendously, yet bolder efforts are needed to make even greater strides for achieving
universal education goals. For example, the world has achieved equality in primary education between girls and boys, but few
countries have achieved that target at all levels of education.
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development
Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and
violence in every part of the world. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a
peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work,
and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and
humanity at large.
Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. There is sufficient fresh water on the planet to
achieve this. But due to bad economics or poor infrastructure, every year millions of people, most of them children, die from
diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.
Water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihood choices and educational
opportunities for poor families across the world. Drought afflicts some of the world’s poorest countries, worsening hunger and
malnutrition. By 2050, at least one in four people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or recurring shortages of fresh
water.
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity the world faces today. Be it for jobs, security, climate change,
food production or increasing incomes, access to energy for all is essential.
Sustainable energy is opportunity – it transforms lives, economies and the planet. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is leading a
Sustainable Energy for All initiative to ensure universal access to modern energy services, improve efficiency and increase use of
renewable sources.
Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

Roughly half the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of about US$2 a day. And in too many places, having a job doesn’t
guarantee the ability to escape from poverty. This slow and uneven progress requires us to rethink and retool our economic and
social policies aimed at eradicating poverty. A continued lack of decent work opportunities, insufficient investments and under-
consumption lead to an erosion of the basic social contract underlying democratic societies: that all must share in progress. . The
creation of quality jobs will remain a major challenge for almost all economies well beyond 2015.Sustainable economic growth will
require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the economy while not harming the
environment. Job opportunities and decent working conditions are also required for the whole working age population.
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology – are crucial to
achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. It has long been recognized that growth in
productivity and incomes, and improvements in health and education outcomes require investment in infrastructure. Inclusive and
sustainable industrial development is the primary source of income generation, allows for rapid and sustained increases in living
standards for all people, and provides the technological solutions to environmentally sound industrialization. Technological
progress is the foundation of efforts to achieve environmental objectives, such as increased resource and energy-efficiency.
Without technology and innovation, industrialization will not happen, and without industrialization, development will not happen.

Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

The international community has made significant strides towards lifting people out of poverty. The most vulnerable nations – the
least developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and the small island developing states – continue to make inroads
into poverty reduction. However, inequality still persists and large disparities remain in access to health and education services
and other assets. Additionally, while income inequality between countries may have been reduced, inequality within countries has
risen. There is growing consensus that economic growth is not sufficient to reduce poverty if it is not inclusive and if it does not
involve the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. To reduce inequality, policies
should be universal in principle paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.

Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. At their best, cities have
enabled people to advance socially and economically. However, many challenges exist to maintaining cities in a way that continues
to create jobs and prosperity while not straining land and resources. Common urban challenges include congestion, lack of funds
to provide basic services, a shortage of adequate housing and declining infrastructure.
The challenges cities face can be overcome in ways that allow them to continue to thrive and grow, while improving resource use
and reducing pollution and poverty. The future we want includes cities of opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy,
housing, transportation and more.

Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

 Sustainable consumption and production is about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and
providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and a better quality of life for all. Its implementation helps to achieve
overall development plans, reduce future economic, environmental and social costs, strengthen economic competitiveness and
reduce poverty. Sustainable consumption and production aims at “doing more and better with less,” increasing net welfare gains
from economic activities by reducing resource use, degradation and pollution along the whole lifecycle, while increasing quality of
life. It involves different stakeholders, including business, consumers, policy makers, researchers, scientists, retailers, media, and
development cooperation agencies, among others.
It also requires a systemic approach and cooperation among actors operating in the supply chain, from producer to final consumer.
It involves engaging consumers through awareness-raising and education on sustainable consumption and lifestyles, providing
consumers with adequate information through standards and labels and engaging in sustainable public procurement, among
others.
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing
people, communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow. People are experiencing the significant impacts of
climate change, which include changing weather patterns, rising sea level, and more extreme weather events. The greenhouse gas
emissions from human activities are driving climate change and continue to rise. They are now at their highest levels in history.
Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is projected to rise over the 21st century and is likely to surpass 3 degrees
Celsius this century—with some areas of the world expected to warm even more. The poorest and most vulnerable people are
being affected the most. Affordable, scalable solutions are now available to enable countries to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient
economies. The pace of change is quickening as more people are turning to renewable energy and a range of other measures that
will reduce emissions and increase adaptation efforts. But climate change is a global challenge that does not respect national
borders. Emissions anywhere affect people everywhere. It is an issue that requires solutions that need to be coordinated at the
international level and it requires international cooperation to help developing countries move toward a low-carbon economy. To
address climate change, countries are working to adopt a global agreement in Paris this December.
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for
humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we
breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for
trade and transportation. Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future.
Goal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

Forests cover 30 per cent of the Earth’s surface and in addition to providing food security and shelter, forests are key to combating
climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. Thirteen million hectares of forests are being
lost every year while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares. Deforestation and
desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have
affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty. Efforts are being made to manage forests and
combat desertification.
Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies

Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals is dedicated to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable
development, the provision of access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels.

Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

A successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society.
These inclusive partnerships built upon principles and values, a shared vision, and shared goals that place people and the planet at
the center, are needed at the global, regional, national and local level. Urgent action is needed to mobilize, redirect and unlock the
transformative power of trillions of dollars of private resources to deliver on sustainable development objectives. Long-term
investments, including foreign direct investment, are needed in critical sectors, especially in developing countries. These include
sustainable energy, infrastructure and transport, as well as information and communications technologies. The public sector will
need to set a clear direction. Review and monitoring frameworks, regulations and incentive structures that enable such investments
must be retooled to attract investments and reinforce sustainable development. National oversight mechanisms such as supreme
audit institutions and oversight functions by legislatures should be strengthened.

World Health Organization (WHO) framework convention on tobacco control

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is
a treaty adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003. It became the first World
Health Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution. The treaty came into
force on 27 February 2005. It had been signed by 168 countries and is legally binding in 180
ratifying countries. There are currently 16 United Nations member states that are non-parties to
the treaty (nine which have not signed and seven of which have signed but not ratified). The FCTC,
one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United Nations history, is a supranational agreement
that seeks "to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social,
environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco
smoke" by enacting a set of universal standards stating the dangers of tobacco and limiting its
use in all forms worldwide. To this end, the treaty's provisions include rules that govern the
production, sale, distribution, advertisement, and taxation of tobacco. FCTC standards are,
however, minimum requirements, and signatories are encouraged to be even more stringent in
regulating tobacco than the treaty requires them to be.

The following summarizes the WHO FCTC provisions:

Price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco,

Non-price measures to reduce the demand for tobacco, namely:
Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke;
Regulation of the contents of tobacco products;
Regulation of tobacco product disclosures;
New packaging and labeling of tobacco products;
Education, communication, training and public awareness;
Demand reduction measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation; and
Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020

Mental health in childhood and adolescents is characterized by the achievement of expected

developmental, cognitive, emotional as well as social achievements, satisfying social relationships,
and effective coping skills. The Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health stated that mentally
healthy individuals enjoy a positive quality of life and function well at home, in school, and in
community. With the various factors that influence the young, mental health problems are notably
increasing. In fact, on in five children and adolescents experience a mental disorder (National
Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2009). Mental health problems produce more
impairment than any other conditions among children and adolescents.

Recognizing the serious threats to the health of children and adults with mental health
disorders, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Comprehensive Mental Health Action Pan 2013-
2020 was adopted during the 66th World Health Assembly in May 2013. This global mental health
action plan recognizes the essential role of mental health in achieving health for all people based
on a lifelong approach of achieving equity through universal health coverage with the following
four major goals:

1. More effective leadership and governance for mental health;

2. Provision of comprehensive, integrated mental health, and social care services in
community-based settings;
3. Implementation of strategies for promotion and prevention in mental health;
4. Strengthened information systems, evidence-based practices, and research for mental
health.

The provision for a central role of the community-based care with emphasis on human rights
is an important direction set in the mental health action plan which includes the person’s recovery,
employment, education, housing, and social services. Thus, empowering the people with mental
health disabilities, developing a strong civil society as well as preventing any activities that may
lead to such disabilities are highly recognized.

Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol

Alcohol is a substance known for its serious side effects. It can affect a person’s judgment
and consciousness which may lead to crimes and accidents. It can cause excessive sleepiness
when consumed too much such harmful effects of alcohol use are serious health issue lead to
various forms of short-term and long-term conditions and adverse social consequences.
 The World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution on public health problems caused
by the impact of alcohol use as a global strategy in 2010.

The said strategy includes policies and interventions for implementation at the national level
as:

 Leadership, awareness, and commitment through development and strengthening of

strategies for reducing harmful use of alcohol, coordination with other related agencies,
access to information and education, and programs on public awareness on alcohol use and
its consequences.
 Health services response to that enhances and strengthens the capacity of health and social
welfare systems for the implementation, prevention, and treatment.
 Community action which emphasizes on the ability of the local authorities to encourage and
coordinate community actions in providing information on effective community-based
interventions at the same the involving the community to prevent the sale and consumption
of alcohol drinks to the youth.
 Drinking and driving policies and countermeasures like setting maximum limits for alcohol
concentrations, conducting random inspection, and encouraging establishments to provide
alternative transport for their customers.
 Availability of alcohol must be regulated through its production and distribution, setting of
minimum legal drinking ages, and enhancement of policies to prevent the sale to alcoholics
and underage drinkers.
 Marketing of alcoholic beverages must be regulated and consistently monitored.
 Pricing policies of alcoholic beverages must be reviewed such as the imposition of higher
tax and higher retail prices, and restricting price-based promotions of such drinks.
 Reducing the negative consequences of drinking and alcohol intoxication which include
advocating the use of small plastic containers instead of glass bottles to minimize violence,
reducing alcohol strength, and providing a temporary shelter for severely intoxicated
people.
 Monitoring and surveillance activities must be held within the area through dissemination
of the information on the harmful effects of alcohol use.

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI)

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 4 million lives could be spared
annually through immunization. Diseases which affect mostly children and adults such as measles,
hepatitis, and influenza can be prevented by vaccination.

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations or GAVI is global health partnership of
public and private sectors dedicated to immunize every child. It was launched in the year 2000
when there was a shortage of vaccines to children in the developing countries. It was joint effort
by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
vaccine industries, research and technical agencies, and private individuals not only to finance the
vaccines but also to find ways on how to make it more affordable and available to the people.

The mission of GAVI is saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing
access to immunization in poor countries. Therefore, it helps in strengthening the health care
system capacity to deliver immunization and other health services in sustainable manner. Since
its birth in 2000, almost 370 million children were immunized and now it targets an additional 300
million children as beneficiaries between 2016-2020.
THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

An emerging and global trend in health is a focus on partnerships - alongside public-private

partnerships there are also a number global health initiative. Such initiatives are thought to be
one of the benefits of globalization. Global initiatives are typically programs targeted at specific
diseases and are supposed to bring additional resources to health efforts. The major global health
initiatives were launched between 1998 and 2000:

Roll Back Malaria. A global strategy to reduce deaths from malaria by increasing access to
prompt and effective treatment (including protective intermittent therapy for pregnant women)
and prevention tools (including insecticide-treated bed nets); by facilitating rapid response to
malaria outbreaks; and by developing new products for the prevention and treatment of malaria.

Specific objective:

To enable and to increase the capacity of caregivers to recognize malaria promptly and take
early appropriate action;
To empower service providers by imparting adequate knowledge, skill and capacity which
enable them to respond to malaria illness appropriately;
To create an enabling environment for implementation.

Stop TB. A global strategy to stop the spread of TB around the world. One of its objectives is to
promote implementation of the directly observed therapy short-course strategy (DOTS).

Specific objectives

To achieve universal access to high-quality diagnosis and patient-centered treatment

To reduce the suffering and socio-economic burden associated with TB
To protect poor and vulnerable populations from TB, TB/HIV and multi drug-resistant – TB
(MDR-TB)
To support development of new tools and enable their timely and effective use.

THE GLOBAL FUND TO FIGHT AIDS, TB, AND MALARIA

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria is a funding project rather than an initiative.
Nevertheless it helps in the prevention, reduction, and mitigation of the negative impacts of the
three diseases to humanity which contributes to the fulfillment of the Millennium Development
Goals.

The Global Fund is a financing institution, providing support to countries in the response to
the three diseases; we do not implement programs on the ground. Global Fund staff, all based in
Geneva, Switzerland, come from all professional backgrounds and from more than 100 different
countries.

By challenging barriers and embracing innovative approaches, the Global Fund partnership
strives for maximum impact. Working together, we have saved millions of lives and provided
prevention, treatment and care services to hundreds of millions of people, helping to revitalize
entire communities, strengthen local health systems and improve economies.

GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF NON-COMMUNICABLE

DISEASES.

The Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases is a global
action plan to prevent and control the following non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular
diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancers, and diabetes and the four shared risk factors:
unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, tobacco use and alcohol use. Four of the most prominent
non-communicable diseases – cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease and diabetes – are linked by common preventable risk factors related to lifestyle. These
factors are tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Action to prevent these diseases
should therefore focus on controlling the risk factors in an integrated manner. Intervention at the
level of the family and community is essential for prevention because the causal risk factors are
deeply entrenched in the social and cultural framework of the society. Addressing the major risk
factors should be given the highest priority in the global strategy for the prevention and control of
non-communicable diseases. Continuing surveillance of levels and patterns of risk factors is of
fundamental importance to planning and evaluating these preventive activities.

Objectives of the Action Plan:

To raise the priority accorded to non-communicable disease at global and national levels
and to integrate prevention and control of such diseases into policies across all governments
To establish and strengthen national policies and plans for the prevention and control of
non-communicable diseases
To promote interventions to reduce the main shared but preventable risk factors for non-
communicable diseases: unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful use
of alcohol
To promote research for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases
To promote partnerships for the prevention and control of non –communicable diseases
To monitor non-communicable diseases and their causal factors and evaluate progress at
the local, national and global levels