Kathmandu, January 18
The United Nations health agency, World Health Organization, has recently published a list of 10 biggest threats, highlighting one of those, dengue, is spreading to less tropical and more temperate countries like Nepal as well.
“A high number of cases occur in the rainy seasons of countries such as Bangladesh and India. Now, its season in these countries is lengthening significantly,” the report reads, “And the disease is spreading to less tropical and more temperate countries such as Nepal, that have not traditionally seen the disease.”
The list has mentioned dengue as the ninth biggest threat to global health.
Other items on the list include air pollution and climate change, noncommunicable diseases, global influenza pandemic, fragile and vulnerable settings, antimicrobial resistance, ebola and other high-threat pathogens, weak primary health care, vaccine hesitancy and HIV.
Meanwhile, the WHO says it is launching a new five year strategic plan in order to address these and other threats.
“This plan focuses on a triple billion target: ensuring one billion more people benefit from access to universal health coverage, one billion more people are protected from health emergencies and one billion more people enjoy better health and well-being.”
