sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
hat tip Lili
machine translated from French -
The WHO fears repercussions in many countries
How the crisis threatens health
Opening the executive board of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan expressed her fears about the impact of the economic crisis on public health in the world.
The Director General of WHO fears a rise in anxiety and mental illness, and the reduction of official development assistance and measures taken at the expense of social spending.
Facing "a crisis of unprecedented scale in a world that has never been more interdependent," said Margaret Chan worried. At the rostrum of <sup>the</sup> 124th session of the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva until 27 January, she explained that "the current financial crisis is rapidly being transformed into economic crisis and could lead to a social crisis in many countries.
The director of WHO fears a scenario identical to the energy crisis of the 1980s. And worse: "An effort to use the health requirements for socio-economic development was launched in 1978, said she had been followed almost immediately by soaring oil prices and the crisis debt. Mistakes had been committed then, which led to the reduction in investment budget to social sectors, including health and education - errors that many countries still suffer the consequences.
As also happened in the past, she also fears that the crisis does not cause "an escalation of anxiety and mental illness, and an increase in the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and other harmful substances." For his part, Dr. Michel Lejoyeux confirms that the context of the crisis can serve as a bed for addiction (see below).
The annual survey by the American Psychological Association concluded already amplification of stress and mental health problems as a result of the crisis. And hotlines for suicidal people are saturated in Japan and the United States.
In this context, WHO calls for "the growing phenomenon of impoverishment due to expenses related to health care." Stressing that, even in economically favorable, they living in poverty more than 100 million people each year, it believes that "most vulnerable might be affected: the poor, the marginalized, children, women, the disabled, the elderly and those with chronic diseases. " Dr Chan urges states to "develop better emergency social security systems to protect the most vulnerable in countries rich in poor countries."
WHO said that the robust health systems are essential to maintain the capacity to monitor and respond to threats of a pandemic.
The investments made for inadequate health systems in the 1980s explain, she says, why countries in Africa have been so ill-prepared to cope with the HIV / AIDS over the next decade.
Mrs Chan is particularly concerned saturation of public health, patients tend to turn away from private health sector to make greater use of public services, already overstretched and underfunded in many countries.
For its part, the World Bank representative to the United Nations, Richard Newfarmer, provides that the austerity measures implemented by 2011, governments are increasing budget deficits at the expense of social spending. " To curb this trend, he believed "very important" the continuation of aid spent by industrialized countries to developing countries. "
CHRISTIAN DELAHAYE
Daily Physician: 22/01/2009
machine translated from French -
The WHO fears repercussions in many countries
How the crisis threatens health
Opening the executive board of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan expressed her fears about the impact of the economic crisis on public health in the world.
Facing "a crisis of unprecedented scale in a world that has never been more interdependent," said Margaret Chan worried. At the rostrum of <sup>the</sup> 124th session of the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva until 27 January, she explained that "the current financial crisis is rapidly being transformed into economic crisis and could lead to a social crisis in many countries.
The director of WHO fears a scenario identical to the energy crisis of the 1980s. And worse: "An effort to use the health requirements for socio-economic development was launched in 1978, said she had been followed almost immediately by soaring oil prices and the crisis debt. Mistakes had been committed then, which led to the reduction in investment budget to social sectors, including health and education - errors that many countries still suffer the consequences.
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WHO said that the robust health systems are essential to maintain the capacity to monitor and respond to threats of a pandemic.
For its part, the World Bank representative to the United Nations, Richard Newfarmer, provides that the austerity measures implemented by 2011, governments are increasing budget deficits at the expense of social spending. " To curb this trend, he believed "very important" the continuation of aid spent by industrialized countries to developing countries. "
CHRISTIAN DELAHAYE
Daily Physician: 22/01/2009