The prevalence of infectious diseases popularly referred to as communicable diseases, is a significant burden to the global health system and overall prosperity. These diseases not only threaten the lives of individuals in developing countries but also pose a serious impediment to the social and economic development of these countries. They particularly take a heavy toll on the poor. The risk of infection in developing countries is heightened by the high rate of population growth, poverty, gender disparities, fragile healthcare and medical systems, inadequate preventive care and treatment services, lack of safe water supply, malnutrition amongst others. Poor health in turn aggravates poverty as illness undoubtedly affects productivity. Therefore, bringing.
Jayesh Saini a healthcare investor says, and correctly so, that the above-mentioned issues have posed a pressing need to break such vicious cycle of poor health and poverty. He opines that fighting infectious diseases should be a central part of the development programs and a key component in the efforts of poverty reduction in developing countries. He observes that in Kenya the national and county governments in collaboration with development partners and other stakeholders are working together to implement and reinforce models and policies that deliver efficient, effective and quality health services. He believes that there is more that needs to be done to ensure mortality due to communicable diseases is cut, noting that most of these diseases are preventable and treatable. Noting that many a times these diseases spread fast and wide due to poor sanitation and living conditions with limited access to healthcare due to economic limitations, Jayesh believes that while coming up with health policies, there should be holistic approach to ensure the vicious cycles are broken. He says that the carriers of the disease-causing parasites should be dealt with at the source and that isolation should not be done just in hospitals but even in organizational and home settings. He pointed out that this kind of isolation worked well in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced the number of infections, within and outside home settings.
ss. To date, initiatives involving eradication of malaria and controlling the spread of HIV/AIDs have been bearing fruit, despite cases of people who do not follow the protocols in place. The government and other partners are encouraged to continue creating awareness to the extent that the populace may even on their own come up with self-governance to deal with those violating the protocols; for example, fines or payment for services which would otherwise be free can be charged on any deliberate breaker of those protocols.
The citizens are also encouraged to take seriously their health and wellbeing and work towards maintaining a healthy population for the country to achieve full social economic growth.
