Question

Write 3-4 pages on examining the most common infectious diseases affecting low- and middle-income countries as well as the current approaches to their prevention and control. Describe the vulnerable stages of life during which malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are particularly dangerous and explain the underlying causes of food insecurity as well as local and global events that can exacerbate the extent of the insecurity.WITH REFERENCES AND CITATION

Answer 1

Until the end of the twentieth century, when that distinction passed to non-communicable diseases, infectious diseases were responsible for the largest global burden of premature death and disability. Global infectious disease pandemics, such as smallpox, cholera, and influenza, have regularly endangered the survival of entire populations over the past few centuries. Secure, effective and inexpensive vaccines and the growing availability of antibiotics by the mid-twentieth century further reduced the toll of infectious diseases in HICs. Large-scale efforts started to better control infectious diseases in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) not until the second half of the twentieth century, where the risk of infectious disease was highest and widely varied. Such efforts included an international pledge to vaccinate children around the world against the main diseases available for vaccination and global initiatives to prevent measles and diarrheal disease.

Vaccines and curative drugs have been around for decades for some of the major infectious diseases. Many of them are relatively cheap and highly cost-effective, yet many are underused due to the cost and lack of access due to poorly functioning health care systems. New drugs and vaccines will continue to be the pillars of infection prevention and treatment, but it will be critical to delivering such interventions to reduce the burden of infection.

There are four specific undernutrition sub-forms: waste, stunting, underweight, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. In general, undernutrition makes children much more vulnerable to illness and death.

Low weight-for-height is referred to as waste. This usually indicates a recent and serious weight loss as a result of not having enough food to eat and/or having an infectious disease, such as diarrhoea, causing them to lose weight. A moderately or severely wasted young child has an increased risk of death, but treatment is possible. Overweight and obesity are the product of an imbalance of (too much) and (too little) energy consumed. Throughout the world, people consume more energy-dense foods and drinks (high in sugars and fats) and less physical activity.

The main factors that exacerbated the problem of food production, distribution and access are dryness and conflict. In an already challenging environment with fragile ecosystems, high rates of population growth and deprivation have played a role. The fact that nearly 80% of the population of the region's countries is rural and relies almost entirely on agriculture for their consumption and income needs means that steps to address the problems of hunger and food insecurity have to be taken mainly within the agricultural sector.

It is important to link poverty with food insecurity. Food production is important as farming is the main source of livelihood for the majority of the poor and some 76 percent of the IGAD population is listed as farming. Nevertheless, the level of food insecurity is reduced only when hunger can be alleviated or reduced. Consequently, the long-term food insecurity solution lies beyond additional food production and requires the need to tackle rural livelihoods in general. Different kinds of social security networks are also part of the solution to severe deprivation and food scarcity, not only in exceptional circumstances such as drought, but also over the long periods required to reach sustainable solutions that are socially inclusive.

Reference: Food and Agriculture website