Asia’s rapid urbanisation gives rise to killer diseases
EXPERTS, representing nine Asian nations and Australia who participated at the recently staged Regional Workshop on Sustainable Development Goals: Priorities and Solutions held in Malaysia discussed how certain health and medical conditions have raised the alarm in the region that’s witnessing rapid urbanisation
Mental health, obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are becoming the leading public health threats, said the experts, who also recommended that these diseases should be included among the 2015-2030 development targets being espoused by the United Nations (UN).
The group also agreed that some diseases, such as the NCDs, which used to be regarded as afflicting only the rich, have also gone down to sectors inundated by food scarcity and insecurity. Rapid urbanisation as well as patronage for processed foods (that contain cheap calories) are increasing the risk for developing Type-2 diabetes.
Based on the data of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there is an estimated 382 million people worldwide living with diabetes; and more than half of which are in Asia and the Western Pacific, where 90-95% of the cases are classified as Type-2 diabetics.
In the lead is China, where 98 million people or about 10% of the population are affected with the disease.
But what could be a surprising major health issue, driven also by rapid urbanisatiom, is the proliferation of the use of methamphetamine, an illegal substance, across Asia, according to the UN.
The substance, which sometimes come in pill form is popular as a party drug and uppers for long-hours or graveyard shift workers.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that last year, it rounded up 227 million methamphetamine pills in East and Southeast Asia , an increase of 59% over the previous year.
From 2008, the figure has increased seven times, UNODC said.
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