6. Managing spread of infectious diseases

· Challenges in managing the spread of malaria:

– Socio-economic

o Limitations of health care

o Population movement due to efficient transport and communications

In places such as the Greater Mekong Subregion in Southeast Asia, border control is necessary to control the spread of drug-resistant malaria across borders. This is because malaria

spreads through uncontrolled migration and lack of coordination between countries along the border districts.

– Environmental

o Effects of monsoons

o Effects of climate change

· Challenges in managing the spread of HIV/AIDS:

– Socio-economic

o Lifestyle choices

o Difficulties in HIV detection

o Social stigma leading to non-reporting of disease

o High cost of antiretroviral therapy

o Population movement across borders and along highways for work

The Kinshasa Highway, which links Uganda and Kenya, is known as the AIDS Highway because of the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among commercial sex workers along the road. Similarly it's shown in the case of Botswana highway in Africa.

Truckers in India have extremely high rate of HIV so NGO such as SEVA stepped in help to educate them along Indians highway.

What can individuals, communities, governments and organisations do to help to manage the spread of infectious diseases?

· Role of different groups in managing outbreak and spread of infectious diseases:

– Individuals: awareness and practice of precautionary measures

– Communities

– Government

o Implementation of precautionary measures

Ø Thermal fogging for malaria

Ø Border controls for HIV/AIDS

o Implementation of mitigation measures

Ø Provision of health care services

Ø Mandatory reporting of disease by doctors

Ø International organisations such as World Health Organisation and other non-governmental organisations

With reference to a case study of either malaria or HIV/AIDS in a selected country, consider the following questions:

1) What are the challenges associated with managing the spread of the disease?

2) What are the social and economic impacts of the disease on the selected country?

3) What measures have been adopted by individuals, government and international organisations to manage the disease?

4) How successful are the measures in containing the spread of the disease?

Let's look at the video below Uganda's fight against the spread of HIV/Aids.

The ABC program in Uganda against the spread of HIV/Aids

360 VR trying to defeat Malaria in Tanzania