World warned about three major threats to human health

May 20 2008

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning concerning major threats to human health.

According to the United Nations body that there are three clear main events which could threaten international security - food shortages, climate change and an influenza pandemic.

The Director-General of WHO Margaret Chan, says these three critical events have the potential to undo much hard won progress in public health.

The Director-General issued the warning at the opening of the 61st session of the World Health Assembly, the organisation's top decision-making body.

The WHO has identified 21 "hot spots" around the world which are already experiencing high levels of acute and chronic malnutrition and Ms. Chan says the aim of an international task force on the global crisis caused by soaring food prices, is to guide priority action.

An estimated 3.5 million deaths a year are caused by under nutrition, says the WHO and poor households spend on average between 50 and 75 per cent of their income on food.

Ms. Chan says the more spent on food means less money is available for health care.

She says that droughts, floods and tropical storms add to the demands for humanitarian aid and create a growing number of environmental refugees where the poor are again the most vulnerable and climate change is already adding an additional set of stresses in areas that are already fragile.

Ms. Chan says the third global crisis looming on the horizon is a pandemic triggered by the spread of bird flu to humans and the threat has by no means receded - all countries will be affected in a rapid and sweeping way, and to let down our guard, would be very unwise.

Ms. Chan has warned that the international community should not become complacent about the threat of bird flu.

Also expected to be discussed by the World Health Assembly are female genital mutilation (FGM) and the harmful use of alcohol.