With more than 2.1 billion air passengers traveling each year, the risk of infectious diseases such as AIDS, SARS and Ebola fever is high and new diseases are emerging and spreading fast all over the world which could lead to another epidemic if unchecked, warns the WHO.
The WHO is urging countries to share medical data, skills and technology between countries in order to control the threat of emerging diseases. These diseases could not only affect the health of the citizens but also the global economy and international security.
In the last 35 years, 39 new diseases have developed and most of them in the last five years alone. Another area of concern is that the new virus developing resistance to drugs making it more difficult for the authorities to tackle the problem. By the time new vaccines are developed, the new diseases could have reached epidemic proportions.
Developing countries refuse to share any data or samples for the fear of data being misused by pharmaceutical companies who would make drugs that are beyond reach for its citizens. Some of the countries like China have started sharing samples from this year.
The table below gives a scary scenario of the spread of infectious diseases.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan says
Co-operation is crucial to combat outbreaks. Given today’s universal vulnerability to these threats, better security calls for global solidarity
The only option now would be for the countries to join hands and share data and responsibility if we have to see a ‘healthy world‘ in the future.