Written by:
Elijah Lagman, Year 12
Following the
success of World health day last April 7, the World Health Organization (WHO)
will be launching “World Malaria Day” on April 25 and “World Immunization Week”
from April 24-28. Focusing on raising awareness for vaccine-less diseases, such
as Malaria, World Malaria Day aims to promote knowledge of protection schemes
against such dangerous illnesses. World Immunization Week, in addition,
emphasizes the importance of vaccines and their usefulness in combating
diseases. Though distinctively different in several important aspects, both
days have been put together because of their common theme of malaria.
The primary
focus of World Malaria Day, malaria is a dangerous disease that currently has
no medically accepted vaccine. World Malaria Day, therefore, aims to educate
individuals on possible preventive measures, to combat countless deaths
worldwide. In addition to Malaria, these few days will also focus on other life
threatening vectors - the term given for small organisms that can carry serious
disease. In the Philippines, for instance, the dengue mosquito has the
potential to induce strong cases of fever amongst the populace, termed,
fittingly, ‘dengue fever’. Dengue fever may result in two of the following
life-threatening situations: dengue hemorrhagic fever, which involves low
levels of platelet count, bleeding and blood vessel leakage, and dengue shock
syndrome, also known to induce very low levels of blood pressure. Notorious for
causing tremendous pain to individuals, the affliction is reportedly comparable
to the pain of bones breaking. As is the case with malaria, however, there is
currently no internationally recognized vaccine to combat the effects of dengue
fever. We can say, therefore, that measures promoted by World Malaria Day are
applicable to us here in the Philippines as well.
Similar to
World Malaria Day, World Immunization Week concerns itself with educating
individuals, to enable them to protect themselves against potentially fatal
diseases. However, predominantly focused upon vaccinations and
vaccination-preventable illnesses, World Immunization Week also addresses the
myths and concerns surrounding immunization. For instance, a popular
vaccination urban legend, the fear that 'vaccines can increase the likelihood
of autism’ is a primary example of the type of rumour World Immunization Week
aims to discredit. While it is important, of course, to question the
effectiveness and risks of treatment - as evaluating prescriptions and medicine
is critical in making more informed choices about your health - it is equally
important to evaluate the sources from which you derive your information. This
is due to the fact that there are often many false rumours about vaccinations
that spread through the internet and news which aim to deter individuals from
immunizing themselves and their children based on faulty logic and unsubstantiated
claims. The harmful effects of misleading information on a range of treatments,
such as vaccination, have spawned many efforts the world over to debunk such
myths. For instance, in his book ‘Bad Science’, Ben Goldacre has attempted to
address and clarify the dubious link between vaccines and autism. After having
conducted further investigation into the claim, he explained that the person
behind such an uneducated claim was a ‘scientist’ conducting research from the
shed of the back of his house. Although he wasn’t starting a meth lab, this
‘scientist’ managed to scare many parents into thinking that vaccinations are
dangerous and even fatal. As a result, World Immunization Week will be launched
alongside World Malaria Day by the WHO in order to properly educate individuals
on the true, life-saving potential of vaccinations, and to promote their use in
a world where more than 3 million people die from vaccine-preventable diseases
annually.
Personally, as
an aspiring doctor, I believe it is vital for everyone to know how to combat
vectors and minimize the risk of transmission; I firmly believe that these two
major events, concerning health awareness and education, are things that people
should watch out for.
Whether or not
you are travelling in or out of the country, there will be the possibility of
disease lurking behind the shadows. Fear not though! As a healthy individual,
your immune system is well prepared to combat ‘common’ illnesses fairly well.
By fairly well, however, I mean such run-of-the-mill illnesses, such as the
flu, can be beaten in a fair amount of days with proper bed rest, food and
water, and nothing less. However, such inconveniences are often extremely
troubling for many people, as is the case for many of you who are travelling.
So, what can you do, as careful and smart
individuals, to prevent the onset of such lingering disorders? For one, you
could follow these simple precautionary measures:
1. Install
window screens that can prevent mosquitoes from entering your house. (If
already installed, inspect for any tears and replace them if needed.)
2. Spray
insect repellant when you go outdoors, especially when you are going to rural
and suburban areas for a long period of time
3. Remove stagnant
water where mosquitoes breed i.e. in old flower pots, tyres and containers.
4. Wear
light coloured, long sleeved shirts and trousers whenever possible, to minimize
contact surface area for vectors to attach to.
5. Get vaccinated
against various diseases (especially from ones carried by vectors). Ask your
family doctor and keep track of your record.
Many
of the points above are fairly straightforward, yet still they are not usually
practiced faithfully outside school. The next step? Spread the word and don’t
forget to take your WHO boarding pass with you when you travel!
You can print your boarding pass (back to back)
here!:
I think we should also consider the needles that we're being given. If we're not fully aware of how the needles are cleaned, we might get infectious diseases and illnesses from others who may have used the needle and are sick. #safetyfirst
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