Asia Pacific countries face onslaught of health problems<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Health experts from 13 countries concluded on
\nFriday their five-day conference called Asia-Pacific Social
\nSciences and Medicine voicing a warning over the multitude of
\nhealth problems besieging the region.<\/p>\n
The experts also urged close cooperation among member
\ncountries to deal with the serious situation in which some old
\nhealth problems such as infections had not yet been solved but
\nwere already aggravated by the emergence of new, non-infectious
\ndiseases.<\/p>\n
"There's so much to be done. We can't solve the problems if we
\ndon't come together," said Fatima Castillo, a professor at the
\nUniversity of the Philippines, who was also a member of the
\nconference's steering committee.<\/p>\n
She told a media briefing that the conference has called on
\nall sectors in the community -- including policy-makers,
\ncommunity workers, educators and the mass media -- to form
\npartnerships both within a country and across the region to deal
\nwith the problems.<\/p>\n
The fast spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV),
\nwhich causes Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the
\npoor's lack of access to health services, the emergence of non-
\ninfectious diseases related to changes in people's diet and
\nlifestyle, are all examples of many serious problems that most
\nAsia-Pacific countries are currently facing.<\/p>\n
The biggest problem to contend with, however, Castillo
\npointed, was that "while infectious diseases like malaria have
\nnot yet been conquered, there come new diseases."<\/p>\n
The conference also identified health costs in the region that
\nare increasing as health care had been increasingly privatized.<\/p>\n
"More and more people are unable to afford the high cost of
\nhealth care, especially that in private clinics and hospitals,"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
The economic policies of many governments in the region facing
\nthe economic meltdown, according to the conference, had further
\nled to deprivation and difficulties for the poor in getting good
\nhealth care.<\/p>\n
The importance of the mass media in health development was
\nalso discussed in several sessions during the conference.<\/p>\n
The mass media was considered to be playing an important role
\nin public education and in disseminating correct information
\nabout health-related issues, Castillo said.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, some media reports sometimes contained
\nmisinformation. One specific example discussed in the conference
\nwas the media-distorted view in reports on violence against
\nwomen.<\/p>\n
"In reporting violence against women, some mass media portray
\nthe women as parties to be blamed. Therefore, we appeal to the
\nmedia to help us correct this misinformation which can put women
\nin danger of further abuse and violence," Castillo said.<\/p>\n
The other conclusion of the conference was that health
\npromotion cannot be separated from the freedom and empowerment of
\na community.<\/p>\n
"If people have the freedom to participate in planning their
\nhealth program and are free from fear, their health is being
\npromoted. If not, their health condition is being devalued,"
\nCastillo said. (swa)<\/p>",
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