Global health initiatives are programs and projects which help address global health

issues, concerns, and trends. Global health is a new trend in which the World Health
Organization addresses health concerns in cooperation with member-nations and private
international organizations as partners. Some of these health issues, concerns, and trends are
about mental health, pollution, climate change, environmental sanitation, tobacco control,
harmful use of alcohol, and prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable
diseases.
Along with the health initiatives to prevent if not reduce the prevalence of health
problems, the United Nations formulated the eight millennium developmental goals in the year
2000 so that nations across the world can reduce poverty and hunger, promote universal
education for all and gender equity, reduce mortality among children, improve maternal health,
combat HIV/AIDs, malaria, and other communicable diseases, ensure environmental
sustainability, and develop global partnership in addressing global problems.
Among the global health initiatives led by the World Health Organization are: Stop TB, Roll Back Malaria,
Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control,
Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan, Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol and
Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases.

AIDS means Acquired Immune-Deficiency

Syndrome. It is a serious and most
often fatal communicable disease of
the immune system transmitted
through body fluids like blood, plasma
and mucous usually by blood
transfusion, sexual contact, and use of
contaminated syringe
Alcohol a gateway drug which depresses the
central nervous system. It is an active
ingredient in beverages like brandy,
beer, rum and wine
Cancer malignant growth or tumor caused by
abnormal and uncontrolled cell
reproduction. It may spread to other
parts of the body through the
lymphatic system or the blood
Cardiovascular disease disease of the heart and blood vessels
Childhood meningitis communicable disease characterized
by inflamed meninges (the tissues that
surround the brain and spinal cord)
caused by bacteria with symptoms like
headache, nausea, fever, and stiff
neck
Communicable disease any disease transmitted from one
person to another by direct or indirect
contact
Diabetes a non-communicable disease
characterized by abnormally high
blood sugar levels with symptoms like
excessive urination and persistent
thirst
Health issue any of the important statements in
health that is in dispute and must be
settled
Health trend any general tendency to change in
health concepts, information, skills,
and values
Hepatitis inflammation of the liver caused by a
micro-organism or a toxin
 HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency
Virus, which causes the Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Hypertension a disorder in the artery which makes
blood pressure abnormally high
Gender the attributes which distinguishes a
person on the basis of reproductive
roles
Global health the health of the world as a whole; the
area of study, research and practice
which gives priority on improving and
achieving equal health for all people
worldwide
Global health initiative a program or strategy which
addresses global health issues,
concerns, and trends
Immunization the act of making a person immune
from certain diseases
Influenza an acute communicable disease
characterized by high fever that lasts
for days, nausea, body pains, and
fatigue that lasts for days
Information and communication the integration of information and
technology communication technology with the
use of media like computers and other
telecommunication devices
Malaria a communicable disease caused by
plasmodium parasites transmitted
through mosquito bites; characterized
by chills and fever
Malnutrition insufficient or excessive intake of food
and nutrients; inability to absorb food
properly
Maternal health the health of women during
pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum
period.
MDG also known as the Millennium
Development Goals; are eight goals of
the United Nations to address global
health issues and concerns
Mosquito-borne disease a communicable disease transmitted
by mosquitoes
Multi-drug-resistance a condition enabling disease-causing
micro-organisms to resist drugs and
medicines
Non-communicable disease disease not transmitted through direct
or indirect contact and non-infectious
Non-renewable energy energy from a source that is not
sustainable as it takes billions of years
to form; e.g. fossil fuels like oil, coal,
and natural gas
Obstetric-gynecology a branch of medical science which
specializes in treating diseases of the
female reproductive organs and
delivering babies
Pneumonia disease of the respiratory system
characterized by inflammation of the
lungs caused by bacteria, virus, or
irritants
Postnatal occurring after birth or delivery
Poverty the state of having no money and
personal properties; living below
 minimum economic and social
standards
Prenatal occurring before birth or delivery
Renewable energy energy from a sustainable source like
geothermal, water, solar, and wind
Reproductive health the state of physical, mental,
emotional and social well-being in all
matters related to the reproductive
system throughout life
Respiratory disease disease of the respiratory system
including the upper respiratory tract,
the nerves and the muscles
surrounding it
Stroke the loss of brain function due to lack of
or disturbance in the normal blood
supply to the brain
Tobacco the leaves of the tobacco plant which
are dried and prepared for smoking or
ingestion
Tuberculosis infection of the lungs but may also
occur in other body parts as caused
by a bacteria which causes lesions
(cut or break in tissue)
Vaccine a substance consisting of weakened
or dead pathogenic cells injected to
stimulate production of antibodies
against a disease or a group of
infections
Yellow fever a fatal communicable disease
affecting the liver and kidneys
transmitted by mosquito bites and
common in tropical countries

World Health Organization- an international organizations is the chief body responsible for providing
leadership on global health, setting norms and standards and providing health support to
countries around the world.

Millennium Development Goals- These are goals set by the United Nations for its member-nations to
be fulfilled on an agreed span of time to be evaluated and counter-checked under world
standards.

Respiratory diseases- is the leading cause of death among people who live in developing countries.
In Sub-Saharan Africa the new HIV infections occur among individuals living in low- and middle-income
countries

HIV/AIDS the emerging communicable disease that greatly threaten developing nations around the
world especially Africa