World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA)
International Health
Professional Poll Puts Heart Disease, Obesity and Cancer As Top Health
Problems
GENEVA, Switzerland,
7June 2004 - A poll of
the global representatives of nursing, medicine and pharmacy has revealed
that heart disease, obesity and cancer are expected to be the top health
problems in both developing and developed countries over the next five
to ten years. The informal poll was taken at the historic first conference
of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) in Geneva prior to
the WHO’s World Health Assembly.
The gathering of nurses, pharmacists and physicians
from more than 60 countries identified dietary change, unequal access to
information and trade policies as the top trends affecting these health challenges,
while rating terrorism very low as a trend affecting health.
While HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis were also on
the priority list of developing countries, the fact that overall these big
killers were rated low as health challenges (10 and 11 of a list of 16) indicates
that concern about the urgency of fighting the pandemic has still not been
fully integrated by all health professionals. A heavy workload, stressful
work environment and insufficient staff topped the list of trends and concerns
for health professionals themselves. Full results of the poll can be accessed
at www.whpa.org
“In pointing to heart disease, obesity
and cancer as the top health challenges today and in the near future, health
professionals are underlining the importance of the lifestyle changes that
the world is witnessing: an increasingly sedentary life and unhealthy eating”,
said Delon Human, General Secretary of the World medical Association, a founding
partner of the WHPA along with the International Council of Nurses (ICN)
and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
“Though HIV/AIDS registered low on the
poll, we were very pleased that a resolution issued by delegates called on
all physicians, nurses and pharmacists to act as strong advocates and social
leaders in the war against HIV/AIDS,” stated Ton Hoek, General Secretary
of the International Pharmaceutical Federation.
“Concerns about stress, workload and
retention of staff also revealed through the poll, speak to issues of migration
and the need for countries to find ways to retain and further train existing
staff as well as reactivate staff that have left the health system”,
clarified Judith Oulton, Chief Executive Officer of the International Council
of Nurses.
The conference brought together for the first
time members from the International Council of Nurses, the International
Pharmaceutical Federation and the World Medical Association, providing an
innovative platform for inter-professional, international collaboration on
health issues.
Editor’s Note:
The World Health Professions Alliance brings
together medicine, nursing and pharmacy through their representative international
organisations, International
Council of Nurses (ICN), International
Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and the World
Medical Association (WMA) and represents more than 20 million health
professionals worldwide.
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