Summary/ Introduction

Focus Areas
Facing New Challenges

• E.g. SARS

  Completely novel and crucial actions were taken by multiple players worldwide to respond to the outbreak of a new disease; including online sharing of scientific data with no regard to profit, the first ever issue of a WHO travel alert, early report of the spread of the epidemic and wide opening to the media and continuous sharing of reliable information on the course of the epidemic. Virus identified and diahnostic kit made available in record time Incidence reduced from an otherwise predicted total of 200,000 cases Since the discovery of HIV there have been 20 new communicable diseases identified

  Understanding and preparing for new health situations
• Building the capacity to anticipate and plan for managing them
• New diseases, therapies and determinants
• Paradigm shift from sure to optimal functioning (e.g. SARS, genetics and aging)
• Paradigm shift from health care to health determinants (e.g. obesity, environmental factors and poverty)
• Paradigm shift from health as a charitable offering to health as a right
• Optimizing resources from and expanded range of public health participants

 

HEALTH SYSTEMS AND SERVICES
Flood Disasters

Flooding on the scale of what occurred in 2005 and 2006 is a relatively new phenomenon in the country and brought with it a number of new challenges. Our health care system – both the physical structures and human resources was stretched to its limit and PAHO in collaboration with the Government, NGO’s the international donor community and other interested groups, have had to find innovative ways to deal with the health care of residents in the flood communities.[ Read more ]