CLIMATE CHANGE, GLOBALIZATION AND EMERGING DISEASE, CHALLENGES AND GOOD PRACTICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

Abstract

ABSTRACT

There is an apparent increase in a number of infectious diseases, including some emerging and re-emerging disease in the Asia Pacific region. This region has witnessed the spread of some new circulating agents such as SARS, Hanta Virus, Avian Influenza and MERS lately. This reflects the combined impacts of climate change, rapid and dynamics of its demographic, environmental, socials, technologies and other changes in ways-of-living. The phenomena of globalization as well as Climate Change contribute to the growing problem of public health as well as environmental health globally. It was predicted that Global Warming as well as the Change of the ecosystem will continue in the years ahead. The questions: what could be the Role of Environmental Health Practitioners with regard to the threat of emerging disease? It was expected that more emerging disease will affect human population in the future, as climate change shifts habitat and bring wild life and livestock and human into contact with new pathogens. The people are susceptible to pathogenic microorganism that they never been exposed before.The increase of intercontinental movements of goods and people including vectors and food, that characterize globalization, have contributed to the spread of new emerging diseases. Traditionally the Environmental Health Specialist in the developing countries, focusing on Wastes, Air Pollution, Water and Sanitation systems. It is time for Environmental Health Practitioners contribute more in the area for preventing emerging disease. They could contribute at all level, e.g. Policy and Legislation levels, Advocacy and Health Promotion, Research and Development, Practitioners e.g. health inspection in the agricultural area, Port Health Authority and Quarantine, which include Law Enforcement activities. The Curriculum for Environmental Health Specialist Education as well Refreshing Course on the above matter is also discussed.

Keyword: Climate Change, Globalization, Emerging Disease, Environmental Health Specialist