Governments must defend health

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, is Director General of the World Health Organization.

By Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

GENEVA – Just over a century ago, the Spanish flu epidemic spread throughout the world and killed tens of millions of people. Long before landing on the moon, the Internet or the discovery of the Higgs boson, the world was at the mercy of a disease that struck indiscriminately and did not respect national borders. The epidemic demands an absolutely extraordinary response.

One hundred years later, contagious diseases continue to cross borders faster and more effectively than people or property. But other epidemics, chronic and noncommunicable diseases (MNTs), are also a scourge for communities around the world. In fact, in terms of human suffering and costs to society, these diseases can be even more devastating than their contagious counterparts.

At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, heads of state meet on September 26-27 to highlight two major threats to health. On the first day, they will discuss strategies to end tuberculosis (TB), an old bacterium that remains the most deadly infectious disease in the world. TB claims more than 4,000 lives a day and is among the top ten causes of death worldwide. To make matters worse, it is also a major cause of death related to antimicrobial resistance, as well as the leading cause of death among people with the disease. HIV.

Then, on the second day, world leaders will meet to discuss plans MNTsuch as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Combined, MNTThey are responsible for seven out of ten deaths worldwide. In all, MNTEvery year 41 million people are killed, including 15 million people between 30 and 70 years old. In addition to confronting TB and MNTs, world leaders will also discuss ways to promote mental health and well-being.

Developing countries are the most affected TB and MNT epidemics, since most people suffering and dying prematurely from these diseases live in low- and middle-income countries. But at the same time TB and MNTs are very different types of health threats, the best answer is the same: we need to build stronger health systems that can provide universal health coverage (UHC).

UHC makes health care accessible to everyone, regardless of the circumstances. It offers a full range of essential services, from prevention and treatment to palliative care and rehabilitation to everyone, not just those who can afford it.

The underlying principles UHC also apply to the protection of persons against TB, MNTs and promote mental health. But while the urgent need for UHC is widely understood, real change will not happen without stronger commitment from the highest levels of government.

This means that presidents and prime ministers must become champions of the health of their citizens. Only by ensuring a response at the government level can UHC to be reached, since what motivates good and bad health so often is not the responsibility of ministries of health.

Highlighting the challenges posed by TB and MNTs, the UN gives political leaders a unique opportunity to prioritize the well-being of their citizens. They must remember that health promotion is bearing fruit on many other fronts, from economic development to security.

So far, governments have already committed to achieving the key global goals for TB and MNTs. Compared to TB, the world still has to treat the 40 million people with the disease and provide preventative care to 30 million more people by 2022. And to respond to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we must end the epidemic by 2030. Countries can achieve these goals by investing specifically in expanding prevention, detection, treatment and research.

As for MNTs, the SDGCommit governments to reduce by one third premature deaths from these diseases. Progress towards this goal has not been fast enough to ensure that it will be achieved by 2030.

Fortunately, governments have inexpensive ways to achieve these goals and save lives. Regulatory measures can protect people from exposure to common causes of MNTs: tobacco, alcohol, physical inactivity and foods and beverages high in trans fats, salt and sugar. Investments in health systems can improve the detection and treatment of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Vaccination of girls against the human papilloma virus (HPV), and routine screening of women can significantly reduce the number of deaths from cervical cancer.

At meetings in Russia and Uruguay last year, health ministers from around the world committed to accelerate TB and MNTs. It is now time to move on to the next step.

the UN The General Assembly is a unique opportunity for world leaders to promote a truly global good – better health for their citizens – by advancing universal coverage TBbeat MNTs and promote better mental health.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018.
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