D2:
Evaluate the role of organisations in limiting the spread of infectious Abdullah Shafiq
disease. Unit 12B: Disease and Infection
The WHO mainly target diseases such as: HIV/AIDs, Polio, and Malaria. During this article, I will talk
What is the role of the WHO (World Health about the different methods used by the WHO to combat the diseases and to help ensure that the people
Organisation) affected are treated and safe in LICs (Low Income Countries) especially.
Malaria – The WHO deploy a range of strategies (prevention, treatment, and research).
Prevention – By distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets, this can help to prevent the
The WHO are responsible for ensuring that the
vectors (mosquitos) from biting the human and not infect them to start with. This can help to
public are safe and are leaders in the medical
reduce the total amount of people then needing medical treatment – easing the pressure from the
field. They work on helping to improve people’s
healthcare services.
quality of life, health systems and have a vital role
Treatment – In areas where healthcare is limited, the WHO will work to get out antimalarial
in ensuring that any global health emergencies
drugs to help with the treating of malaria. This can then reduce the dangers of the disease and
are delt with accordingly to ensure that as man
prevent many deaths.
people stay safe as possible.
Research – The WHO are continuously working to try and find more efficient ways to improve
the way they can treat and prevent malaria – things like vaccines and more efficient antimalarial
drugs are being manufactured and test continuously. This will help them understand the disease
more and in turn give them more information on how they can combat the disease more
efficiently
The methods listed above also have limitations and weaknesses such as:
Money – Due to research, prevention and treatment all being very costly, it makes it harder to
treat these diseases quickly without enough funding. Making it harder to try to help larger areas
and even more countries.
Side effects – Due to some patients reacting to the antimalarial drugs (vomiting, feeling sick, etc.)
patients may not want to use the drugs and this makes them more viable to continue to pass on
the disease to other people.
Resistance – As the disease can mutate, it could grow resistant to the antimalarial drugs, and this
will cause the effectiveness of the drug to wear off as time progresses. The WHO continuously
strives to work around this to provide the safest treatment for people with malaria.
Polio – The WHO have deployed many methods to limit the spread of polio (Vaccination, surveillance and
research).
Vaccinations – The WHO started up a campaign called the Global Polio Eradication initiative –
this was very successful as it reduced the number of cases of polio by over 99%. This would result
in herd immunity and the spread of the polio being much harder since many people are already
immune to the disease.
Surveillance – The WHO continue to check on areas where polio cases may start to rise or any
areas, they believe polio would thrive in. They will then evaluate methods they use and try to fine
tune their vaccine to ensure that it can become as effective as possible.
Research – Similar to malaria, the WHO need to continue to research about polio, creating a
more effective vaccine is important and understanding the disease more so the WHO know what
they are fighting and then think of the best way to combat it.
The methods listed above also have limitations and weaknesses such as:
Cost - Due to research, prevention and treatment all being very costly, it makes it harder to treat
these diseases quickly without enough funding. Making it harder to try to help larger areas and
even more countries.
Access – In some parts of the world – due to conflict – they will not be able to roll out their
vaccine in some regions – this limits the evidence they can gather and more importantly it leaves
people who are susceptible to the infectious pathogen.
Resistance – As the disease can mutate, it could grow resistant to the vaccine, and this will cause
the effectiveness of the vaccine to wear off as time progresses. The WHO continuously strives to
work around this to provide the safest treatment for people with polio and to keep the cases as
low as possible.
Page 1
Evaluate the role of organisations in limiting the spread of infectious Abdullah Shafiq
disease. Unit 12B: Disease and Infection
The WHO mainly target diseases such as: HIV/AIDs, Polio, and Malaria. During this article, I will talk
What is the role of the WHO (World Health about the different methods used by the WHO to combat the diseases and to help ensure that the people
Organisation) affected are treated and safe in LICs (Low Income Countries) especially.
Malaria – The WHO deploy a range of strategies (prevention, treatment, and research).
Prevention – By distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets, this can help to prevent the
The WHO are responsible for ensuring that the
vectors (mosquitos) from biting the human and not infect them to start with. This can help to
public are safe and are leaders in the medical
reduce the total amount of people then needing medical treatment – easing the pressure from the
field. They work on helping to improve people’s
healthcare services.
quality of life, health systems and have a vital role
Treatment – In areas where healthcare is limited, the WHO will work to get out antimalarial
in ensuring that any global health emergencies
drugs to help with the treating of malaria. This can then reduce the dangers of the disease and
are delt with accordingly to ensure that as man
prevent many deaths.
people stay safe as possible.
Research – The WHO are continuously working to try and find more efficient ways to improve
the way they can treat and prevent malaria – things like vaccines and more efficient antimalarial
drugs are being manufactured and test continuously. This will help them understand the disease
more and in turn give them more information on how they can combat the disease more
efficiently
The methods listed above also have limitations and weaknesses such as:
Money – Due to research, prevention and treatment all being very costly, it makes it harder to
treat these diseases quickly without enough funding. Making it harder to try to help larger areas
and even more countries.
Side effects – Due to some patients reacting to the antimalarial drugs (vomiting, feeling sick, etc.)
patients may not want to use the drugs and this makes them more viable to continue to pass on
the disease to other people.
Resistance – As the disease can mutate, it could grow resistant to the antimalarial drugs, and this
will cause the effectiveness of the drug to wear off as time progresses. The WHO continuously
strives to work around this to provide the safest treatment for people with malaria.
Polio – The WHO have deployed many methods to limit the spread of polio (Vaccination, surveillance and
research).
Vaccinations – The WHO started up a campaign called the Global Polio Eradication initiative –
this was very successful as it reduced the number of cases of polio by over 99%. This would result
in herd immunity and the spread of the polio being much harder since many people are already
immune to the disease.
Surveillance – The WHO continue to check on areas where polio cases may start to rise or any
areas, they believe polio would thrive in. They will then evaluate methods they use and try to fine
tune their vaccine to ensure that it can become as effective as possible.
Research – Similar to malaria, the WHO need to continue to research about polio, creating a
more effective vaccine is important and understanding the disease more so the WHO know what
they are fighting and then think of the best way to combat it.
The methods listed above also have limitations and weaknesses such as:
Cost - Due to research, prevention and treatment all being very costly, it makes it harder to treat
these diseases quickly without enough funding. Making it harder to try to help larger areas and
even more countries.
Access – In some parts of the world – due to conflict – they will not be able to roll out their
vaccine in some regions – this limits the evidence they can gather and more importantly it leaves
people who are susceptible to the infectious pathogen.
Resistance – As the disease can mutate, it could grow resistant to the vaccine, and this will cause
the effectiveness of the vaccine to wear off as time progresses. The WHO continuously strives to
work around this to provide the safest treatment for people with polio and to keep the cases as
low as possible.
Page 1
