WHO urges countries to prepare for pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and other countries in the Western Pacific must prepare for a pandemic of re-emerging diseases, including non-communicable afflictions like diabetes and heart disease that victimize mostly older people, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

Takeshi Kasai, newly confirmed WHO Western Pacific regional director, said countries in the region, including the Philippines, must take necessary measures to keep the people safe from the risk of such diseases.

Kansai noted that the population in the region is aging and that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like heart ailments and diabetes are already the leading cause of death and disability.         

“We must keep the region safe from new and re-emerging disease threats. We don’t know when or where the next pandemic will arise, but it will happen. All countries must be prepared, regardless of their size or stage of development,” Kansai said in a statement.

“We must develop new approaches that go beyond advocacy and training, including developing health systems that can effectively address the challenges posed by NCDs – as more people are growing old with one or more chronic conditions,” Kasai said.

He said environmental issues associated with rapid economic development also pose a growing threat with over two million people in the region dying annually due to indoor and outdoor air pollution.

For some Pacific island countries, Kansai said, climate change threatens their very existence, as rising sea levels risk washing away entire islands and atolls.

“These are huge challenges that we must face together, but they are not insurmountable. And while the future will bring new challenges, at the same time it is full of opportunity – as innovation and new technology make things possible that we couldn’t even imagine not so long ago,” he said.

The other day, WHO confirmed Kansai as new Western Pacific regional director succeeding Shin Young-soo.

Kansai underscored the importance of making WHO even more responsive to countries’ needs in a world where rapid economic, environmental and social changes are affecting the lives and health of the region’s nearly 1.9 billion people.