Vector-borne diseases – small bite, big threat: World Health Day 2014

The World Health Day is celebrated by the people all across the world every year on 7th of April under the leadership of World Health Organization to draw the mass people attention towards the importance of global health. World Health Assembly was held first time in the year 1948 in Geneva by the WHO where it was decided to celebrate the World Health Day annually on 7th of April. It was first celebrated worldwide in the year 1950 as the World Health Day. Varieties of events related to the particular theme are organized on the international and national level by the WHO.

It is an annual event being celebrated for years to raise the common public awareness towards the health issues and concerns. A particular theme is chosen to run the celebration and take care of the health for whole year. Global Polio Eradication was also one of the special themes of the year 1995 of world health day. From then, most of the countries have become free of this fatal disease whereas in other parts of the world its awareness level has increased. The topic for 2014 is vector-borne diseases.

Vector-borne disease have now become a global public health threat with more than half of the world`s population at risk from it, especially pregnant women and children. However, most of these diseases are preventable through informed protective measures.

Vector-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, lyme disease, schistosomiasis, and yellow fever, etc. While mosquitoes are the best known disease vector, others include ticks, flies, sandflies, fleas, triatomine bugs and some freshwater aquatic snails. According to the WHO, vector-borne diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases, and as a result of which more than 1 million deaths happen annually.

Of all the vector-borne diseases, malaria is the most deadly disease causing more than 600000 deaths every year globally. But, dengue is the fastest vector-borne disease with 40% of the world`s population at risk. Also, an estimated 1.3 million new cases of leishmaniasis occur annually.

It has been observed that vector-borne diseases affect the poorest populations, where there is a lack of access to adequate housing, safe drinking water and sanitation. And around 70 percent of the countries and territories hit by VBDs are low income and lower-middle income with causes like climate, environmental change and globalization. The burden and risk of vector-borne diseases is massive, posing major public health problems and hamper socio-economic development in India. For instance, cases of mosquito-borne dengue have been rising every year in India, where the disease is now endemic in the country. Last year over 70,000 cases of dengue were reported in the country. Dengue is now found in 100 countries.