Behind the blue skies, sparkling seas, and rolling golden beaches of Trinidad and Tobago, the population faces a harsh reality: Chronic noncommunicable diseases (or NCDs), such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and lung disease, are affecting the health of individuals and negatively impacting families and communities.
The fact that 2023 was the warmest year on record in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) should be reason enough to be concerned about the effects of a changing planet on people in our region. The Amazon recently suffered the worst drought in the last 50 years, and Central America had a record number of hurricanes and floods. As a result of its geography and because of climate change, LAC is the second region in the world most prone to natural disasters: in the first two decades of the century, the region suffered over 1,300 disasters, of which 91% were climate-related.
What would you expect if you were offered a job that requires a great deal of time and commitment, and which also requires specific technical skills, interpersonal skills, a bit of psychology, empathy, the ability to react to unforeseen events and, above all, a lot of patience? Surely, you would expect at least two things: a good level of remuneration and a technical preparation that allows you to perform the job in the best possible way.
The COVID-19 crisis revealed structural weaknesses in the region's capacity to prevent and respond to emergencies. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) was the most affected by the health emergency worldwide. With only 8.2% of the population, it accounted for 25.5% of the world's total COVID-19 deaths. Additionally, the economic contraction of 6.7% of GDP in 2020 made it evident how health emergencies could constitute a systemic macroeconomic risk.
The mental health of caregivers of older people in Latin America and the Caribbean appears to be at risk.
Have you ever thought about how long it would take you to get to a health center if you had an emergency? It is estimated that one in three people in the region have unmet health needs. And while it is true that not all access depends on infrastructure, it is important to extend access to health services.
In health, as in education, labor markets and other sectors of society, there are significant gender gaps. According to the most recent World Economic Forum report, women spend about 25% more of their lives with health problems and are more likely to face barriers to accessing health care services.
The speed at which new healthcare technologies are emerging is unprecedented. Some bring significant health improvements for previously intractable conditions, while others offer modest clinical benefits. These innovations put pressure on budgets everywhere, and although this is politically difficult to accept, it is a fact that no country, no matter how wealthy, can fund all the therapies and treatments that all people need. Choosing to fund some services necessarily means not funding others, and these decisions have consequences for the population's health.
Mr. Seo lives in Busan, but he underwent surgery at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, about 400 kilometers away from his home. Even after the surgery, there was a need for regular medication and tests, but going to Seoul every time became burdensome. So test results and other information were shared between the hospital near Mr. Seo's home and the hospital in Seoul through the Health Information Exchange System. This allowed him to receive post-surgery follow-up treatment at a nearby hospital without having to travel.
In recent decades, the world has experienced a series of extreme events. From economic periods of recession to political instability causing social conflicts, terrorism and wars. From health crises such as pandemics or plagues to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, droughts and heat waves.