Looking Back 2010
Key health issues in focus
The year 2010 started with the jolt of a devastating earthquake in Haiti and is about to end with record number of death from cholera outbreak in the same place. As days commenced, the year was marked starkly with some other natural disasters remarkable the flood in Pakistan. People have faced public health challenges with notable events like drug-resistant tuberculosis at record high levels, post pandemic period of H1N1 influenza virus etc. But it was also a year of significant achievement of health related MDG in reducing maternal and child mortality, implementation of an affordable meningitis vaccine to eliminate one of Africa's biggest health problems. Haiti: Devastated by earthquake and cholera outbreak In January 12, a severe earthquake struck Haiti, inflicting large-scale damage. According to Haitian government an estimated 230,000 people had died, 300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. When Haitians were struggling to rebuild their life, they were struck by disastrous cholera later in the year. According to the reports issued by Haiti health ministry, the death toll due to cholera has so far claimed more than 2,000 lives. Drug-resistant TB at record high levels In some areas of the world, one in four people with tuberculosis becomes ill with a form of the disease that can no longer be treated with standard drugs regimens, according to World Health Organisation. WHO urged certain countries including Bangladesh to obtain information through continuous surveillance about Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB). H1N1 in post-pandemic period Following the pandemic of 2009, the H1N1 virus had largely run its course by August 2010 and had entered a post-pandemic period. Based on knowledge of past pandemics, WHO expects the H1N1 virus to continue to circulate as a seasonal virus for some years to come, and issued guidance on epidemiological and virological monitoring, vaccination, and the clinical management of cases. Disastrous flood affecting more than six million people in Pakistan About 6.7 million people have been marooned during the Pakistan flood crisis this year. They have been coping to access basic health needs including safe water, medicine. Urban planning essential for health More than half of the world's population now live in urban areas. On World Health Day, 7 April, WHO launched a campaign and called for policy-makers to take action targeting health inequities. Progress in health-related Millennium Development Goals WHO's world health statistics 2010 and trends in maternal mortality, highlighted progress towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals. Since 1990: deaths of young children have decreased by one third and the number of women dying due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth has decreased by 34 percent. But such gains are precarious and the world needs strong leadership to consolidate successes and meet the goals by the 2015 deadline. Finally, there is good news. A new, affordable and effective vaccine against meningitis has been introduced to wipe out a disease that threatens the lives and health of more than 450 million in the African region.
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