In recent times, countries have grappled with a multitude of issues, including war, climate change, and economic troubles. Still, one thing that deadly impacted all at equal levels was the Pandemic COVID-19.
The impact of this dangerous virus disease has been profound and far-reaching, touching nearly every aspect of human life and society.
It has fundamentally exposed the vulnerabilities of people at a core which has taken a long route to recover and guess what’s next? Scientists are stating a possibility of another pandemic that can be lurking in the shadows and could be waiting to erupt. It is named Disease X by experts.
Let us discuss Disease X and its future impacts while also highlighting the significance of global cooperation and preparedness in the face of future health problems.
What is Disease X?
According to the latest information and updates from the World Health Organisation, Disease X can step in as the cause of another pandemic. This could be another unknown microbe, most probably a virus, which could be any variable X that can raise huge health concerns expected to affect the lives of 50 million.
While its origination and the resources for its findings are still under research, the experts of WHO are anticipating that it can even be more dangerous than COVID-19 as it might be 20x more disastrous.
Chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, Kate Bingham expressed her belief that it could be more perilous than COVID-19. She also informed that it could be from viruses that already exist but are not yet activated.
What makes it worse?
The confusion caused by the emergence of new virus variants is leading the researchers to a lack of clarity in their mode and speed of transmission. Thus, profound research is being carried out on 25 families of viruses, each of which comprises thousands of viruses. However, a large no. of them are yet to be discovered and would require vigorous research to find them.
The worst part is that because viruses are so widespread and are becoming resistant, detecting and studying them has now become even more difficult.
This time, Disease X is known to be an emerging infectious disease that can develop in animals and spread among different species. The unpredictability of its arrival has also complicated the matter giving it the possibility to arrive in a decade or even tomorrow.
Steps to be Taken to Mitigate the Risk of Disease X
Resource allocation
According to Bingham’s predictions, there will be a greater need for financial resources to tackle the expected risks. As in the case of COVID-19, it took 16 trillion to cover the cost of mismanagement and late planning.
To prevent and manage such serious future healthcare problems, a tremendous deal of study will be needed to plan ahead of time for future healthcare expenses.
Support for one health
Using the unifying approach of one health, we can step forward in integrating human, animal, and environmental health.
It is based on the concept of keeping the health of the environment as a priority on which all life depends.
It is promoted as many highly contagious viruses are transmitted from the infected blood of animals that severely affect human health as well.
Thus, including the one health approach can lessen the impact of the strong seasonal and unhygienic patterns which can breed harmful microorganisms, causing them to erupt and spread among species.
Hence the approach will require high efforts and discipline towards maintaining environmental health. To accomplish this, the community of all nations has to work together on addressing root causes for the long-term sustenance of human health.
Preparedness for strengthening the healthcare system
The COVID-19 crisis has massively impacted the world due to its radical uncertainty. The lack of preparedness on the part of the government led to the rapid spread of the virus. The consequences of measurements taken against it had resulted in a significant economic and financial downturn on a global scale. As during the lockdown, the pandemic has hugely affected the economic sector, disrupting the global supply chain for goods and services.
To combat such future pandemics, the government is now looking forward to collecting resources in advance for stockpiling essential supplies. It is also considering the inclusion of quick response teams in its preparedness strategies.
The government is also monitoring the long-term budgetary cost for healthcare that will be needed to mitigate the risks to human health. Thus, detailed planning in the preparation of an emergency response plan will cover resource allocation, staff deployment, and coordination with agencies and organizations.
Lastly, the government is also preparing to deliver medical services quicker than before. This will allow patients to recuperate sooner. As a result, the government is now evaluating the public risk and is allocating a significant amount to collecting human, financial, and technical resources.
Furthermore, we as a global community must also learn to respond to emergencies effectively. This can be done by remaining informed through credible sources such as the World Health Organisation (WHO). By volunteering for local health programs and participating in disaster relief activities. Also, getting alert to the importance of avoiding environmental degradation and supporting sustainable practices can help us build resilience to such problems collectively.
Conclusions
Therefore, it is critical to focus on researching and developing methods to combat such powerful viruses before they can cause another epidemic. It will take a significant amount of time and money to research and develop plans for preparing vaccinations and treatments to address these health catastrophes.
Thus to respond quickly to these new health concerns, we together need to take a collective approach that will allow us to defend these viruses and to promote the health and well-being of all nations and communities. Unimarck Pharma is also committed to providing high-quality healthcare services across the country by keeping health as a priority.
