prijava
SARAJEVO, April 5 (FENA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has achieved a lot, people's life expectancy is the longest in history, and people's health is generally much better, said WHO Special Envoy for Bosnia and Herzegovina Erwin Cooreman to journalists in Sarajevo, at the marking of the 75th anniversary of the organization, while recalling the beginnings of the organization's activity and work.
At the beginning of WHO's work, the focus was on the control of infectious diseases, which at that time were ravaging the world. That problem was largely solved after the discovery of antibiotics. Then, he says, we received vaccines that could prevent the spread of infectious diseases, so this had an even greater positive impact on the fight against infectious diseases.
"Thanks to vaccines, some infectious diseases have been eradicated, such as smallpox. Some of infectious diseases are almost on the verge of eradication. We have reached what we call a health transition, now the main cause of death is no longer infectious diseases, now it is non-communicable diseases that are mainly the result of lifestyle - he stressed.
He explains that these are diseases that cannot be easily cured (usually requiring lifelong treatment), but can be easily prevented. However, in practice, this is often more difficult, because it requires a complete change in the way people think. So, for example, many types of malignant diseases are associated with the habit of smoking 'so it's easy to say stop smoking, but we know how difficult it is'.
"Prevention of non-infectious diseases actually requires interventions outside the health system. That's why an intersectoral, multisectoral, even approach of all authorities is needed," Cooreman emphasized.
He also mentioned the pandemic as a "shock not only for health systems but also for entire countries". COVID has also revealed the weaknesses of health systems and 'now we must work to eliminate them'.
The regional director of the WHO insists on a dual approach, that we respond to emergency situations when necessary, and at the same time we do not neglect the work on systemic development to make countries and their health systems more resistant to some future crisis situations.
Regarding BiH, he says that in their system it is qualified as an upper-middle-income country, which means that the WHO provides it with technical support at a high level. One of the most important things they promote is universal health care, which means access to health care for all people (as they need it) without incurring huge costs.
"In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the population is getting older, and in order to deal with it, not only the health ministry but also other ministries, entire governments, even the private and non-governmental sector need to react," he emphasized.
Resident Coordinator of the UN in BiH Ingrid Macdonald emphasizes that health is one of the basic human rights and it is important to consider how progress can be achieved in BiH in relation to both human rights and health - especially after the pandemic.
In addition to the efforts undertaken by the WHO, Macdonald points out other organizations such as UNICEF, and the UN Development Program participated in those efforts to fight against COVID-19. The UN Population Fund undertook an HPV vaccination campaign in both entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"The UN system, together with the World Bank and the local authorities, is working on the health reform process. It is important to invest in health services so that all citizens can benefit from it, because, they surely deserve better services," emphasized Macdonald.
(FENA) S. R.
