Ending tropical diseases
Taiwan is a revolutionary country: As one of the four Asian Tigers, it has consistently maintained a highly industrialized economy in the ranks of the world’s richest nations.
Thanks to such developments, Taiwan has managed to safeguard its population from many popular tropical maladies that affect Southeast Asian countries.
For example, before the 1960s, those living in Taiwan and the Penghu Islands were at high risk of lymphatic filariasis — a condition where adult worms lodge in the lymphatic system and damage the immune system. Through long-term prevention programs, no cases of the disease have been reported since 1975.
Several other neglected tropical diseases, such as trichuriasis (whipworm) and ascariasis (roundworm) have been controlled throughout urban Taiwan with accessible vaccinations.
However, that is not to say these neglected tropical diseases are completely eradicated, as certain areas in Taiwan are still troubled by them due to a lack of bureaucratic initiatives to provide proper — and cheap — vaccinations to Aborigines in the countryside.
Regular pinworm screening and treatment programs should continue in Taiwan, especially in mountainous regions. Furthermore, there are still certain neglected tropical diseases that are considerably preventable in Taiwan, such as dengue fever. Through the simple means of providing nets, air-conditioned environments and mosquito repellants for low-income households, the transmission of dengue fever would be greatly reduced.
More importantly, I would like to emphasize that a great way to reduce the risk of transmission of neglected tropical diseases is through charitable aid to neighboring and developing Southeast Asian countries that are at high risk, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines.
Every year, Taiwanese travel to these exotic locations unprotected and exposed, coming back infected with diseases — many of which are vector borne diseases that can easily spread. Thus, in order to reduce the prevalence of neglected tropical diseases in Taiwan, and throughout the world, I would like to urge an inclusive and gratuitous move toward providing even the simplest preventable measures to Taiwan’s neighboring countries.
Vaccinations for neglected tropical diseases are extremely cheap. The main problem is not the eradication of the diseases themselves, which would be simple as many cures already exist. The underlying issue is the eradication of the ignorance many have about these diseases and making the vaccinations accessible to those in need.
It is easy to neglect tropical diseases when many of us are lucky enough to be in a protected environment, yet those in less fortunate circumstances have no voice.
For more information on the types of neglected tropical diseases and ways to contribute for donations, visit www.end7.org. All donations to end7 go directly to treatment programs.
Bonna Yi
Paris
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