4.a. Increasing global mobility impacts the diffusion of disease and the ability to respond to it, at a variety of scales.

Question 1

When was the WHO established? Where?

(Role)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 1

Established in 1948 and headquartered in Geneva.

Question 2

What is the WHO?

(Role)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 2

WHO is the directing and co-ordinating authority on international health within the UN system.

Question 3

State 3 roles of the WHO.

(Role)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 3

Gathering health data.

Providing leadership and identifying priority areas in matters critical to health.

Researching health problems.

Monitoring the international health situation.

Supporting UN member states to devise health strategies.

Providing technical support during health crises.

It sets targets to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

Question 4

WHO takes a leading role in increasing awareness of what? Give examples.

(Role)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 4

Increasing awareness of epidemics and the outbreaks of new diseases.

E.g. Zika virus in 2016.

Question 5

WHO takes a leading role in developing global strategies to combat diseases. State 3 that they combat.

(Role)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 5

HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

Question 6

What does the WHO predict?

(Predicting)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 6

Predicts disease outbreaks by monitoring patterns, and will intervene if patterns become irregular or inconsistent.

For example, during emerging diseases and epidemics/ pandemics.

Question 7

Who collects data from how many member states? Where are they published?

(Data)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 7

It collects data from the 194 member states and publishes them annually in its World Health Statistics.

Question 8

The WHO collects data from the 194 member states and publishes them annually in its World Health Statistics. What does the data surmise?

(Data)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 8

Health risks; most importantly mortality from communicable and non- communicable diseases, and government spending on health care.

Question 9

What is a limitation of WHO’s data collection? Why?

(Data)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 9

The quality and completeness of these data are highly variable.

For instance, WHO receives causes of mortality data from only 100 member states (other states that don’t report updated data are normally LIDCs), while globally, two-thirds of all deaths are not even registered.

Question 10

What does the WHO research? Give examples.

(Research)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 10

Researches health issues.

Among its many research groups are those dedicated to influenza, tropical diseases, mental health and vaccines.

Question 11

WHO research projects are often partnerships with other agencies. Give examples.

(Research)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 11

E.g. it is currently collaborating with the multi-agency Stop TB Partnership, which aims to eradicate TB by 2050.

Question 12

Support programmes for member states are an important part of WHO’s brief. Outline how they helped in Nepal 2015.

(Support)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 12

Following the 2015 Nepal earthquake disaster, WHO delivered emergency health services in the form of mobile medical units and supported foreign medical teams in areas worst hit by the quake.

Question 13

Support programmes for member states are an important part of WHO’s brief. Outline how they helped in Liberia 2014-15.

(Support)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 13

In Liberia, the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic caused the total collapse of the country’s health care services, leaving it unable to cope with a serious outbreak of measles.

WHO, together with UNICEF and the US CDC, stepped in and organised a country-wide measles vaccination programme to control the spread of the disease.

Question 14

WHO works closely with other international organisations. Give examples.

(Agencies)
(The World Health Organisation (WHO))

Answer 14

UNICEF and the World Bank.

NGOs such as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Question 15

What was picked up in January 2020?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 15

WHO picked up reports about an outbreak of an unknown viral pneumonia in the Wuhan city (China).

By 14th January, the idea that this was an infectious disease involving human-to human transmission was acknowledged.

By the end of the month cases were being reported from many other countries, each of which was traceable to Wuhan.

Question 16

When was COVID declared a global pandemic by the WHO?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 16

11 March 2020.

Question 17

During the COVID-19 crisis, before vaccines became available, how was the infection combated?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 17

Could only be slowed down by a combination of lockdown and quarantine.

Question 18

Governments reacted to COVID with varying speeds and varying levels of preparedness. How did best prepared countries react?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 18

Globally, the best prepared countries were those that had had to confronted previous coronavirus epidemics such as South Korea and Taiwan.

Question 19

Governments reacted to COVID with varying speeds and varying levels of preparedness. How did worst prepared countries react?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 19

Some of the advanced countries in Europe and North America had both underestimated and underfunded preparation for global pandemics.

Question 20

What did Trump do during the COVID pandemic?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 20

In the USA, President Trump froze all funding of the WHO, claiming that it had ‘failed in its basic duty’ and of being too ‘China-centric’ in its response; USA later appealed to the WHO for an extra $1bn to help fight the coronavirus.

Question 21

The virus, still not fully understood over a year after its origin, had the greatest impact on who and where?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 21

Greatest impact on poor people living in high density locations, but who also needed to work.

Question 22

The mortality rates varied greatly between countries and within them. Were economic impacts significant?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 22

Economic impact was and remains highly significant; at a global level probably unrivalled since the infamous ‘Black Death’ of 1347-51.

Question 23

In some, but not all LIDCs and EDCs, the impact was especially severe. Why?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 23

Pressure on public health systems, high urban densities and, above all poverty.

Question 24

Why was the spread of COVID especially hard in LIDCs and EDCs?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 24

Social distancing and effective quarantine was impossible in slums with their very high densities of population, and the necessity of leaving home to earn enough to provide the necessities for survival.

Around 1 in 7 people worldwide live in these conditions, mainly but not exclusively in LIDCs and EDCs.

Question 25

What was an issue the WHO faced with collecting state data?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 25

Death rate data is not always available or when available not always accurate, and some governments will be slow to release it, but the rich/poor divide will be evident in almost every country and most obvious in the most unequal of those countries.

Question 26

What was announced of the 5th May 2023?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 26

WHO committee members highlighted the decreasing trend in COVID deaths.

Question 27

What allowed COVID to no longer be a global threat?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 27

Intensive care units, population immunity highs, and hospitalisation of the infected.

Question 28

As of 17th May 2023, how many confirmed cases of COVID was there? Confirmed deaths? Estimated deaths?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 28

766,480,796 confirmed cases.

6,932,591 confirmed deaths.

Around 20 million estimated deaths.

Question 29

As of 16th May 2023, how many vaccine doses had been administered?

(COVID-19 pandemic, a disease outbreak at a global scale)

Answer 29

13,352,935,288 vaccine doses administered.

Question 30

What magnitude was the earthquake?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 30

January 2010, a magnitude 7 earthquake hit Haiti.

Question 31

How many deaths were a result of the earthquake?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 31

30,000 - 300,000 people

Question 32

What percentage of Haiti live on US$2.5/day.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 32

60% of the population.

Question 33

How many Haitians were displaced by the quake?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 33

500,000 people displaced, thousands in camps.

Question 34

What percentage live in slums in Port-au Prince? Access to toilets?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 34

86% lived in slums.

50% had no access to toilets.

Question 35

Why was Haiti also so vulnerable?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 35

High population density, poorly constructed buildings, with 70% of them collapsing as a result of the event.

Question 36

What happened in Haiti (post-quake) in October 2010?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 36

In October 2010, cholera spread in Haiti due to the introduction of Nepalese soldiers flown in as part of international efforts to cope with disaster.

Question 37

Between initial outbreak and November 2014, how many estimated cases were there? Deaths?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 37

Estimated 720,000 cases recorded, with ~8,700 deaths.

Question 38

In November 2014, this cholera outbreak was the worst in history, with over how many cases and deaths?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 38

Over 820,000 cases and ~10,000 deaths.

Question 39

Outline local and national strategies in the cholera epidemic.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 39

Cholera-specific trainings for volunteers in solid waste management.

Promoters spread hygiene messages to locals via door to door.

Training in cholera specific hygiene promotion, supported during peak outbreak.

Community mobilisation, away from contaminated rivers.

Question 40

Outline British Red Cross strategies in the cholera epidemic.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 40

Implemented many strategies in areas such as Coteaux and Tiburon.

Supporting ambulance services.

Supporting MSPP, to establish and carry out construction works for water sanitation facilities at the CTU; partnership with the Japanese Red Cross.

10 litre storage water containers distributed in an effort to improve the water consumed by families.

Question 41

Outline 5 key achievements by the British Red Cross in Haiti.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 41

• Deliver water to 300,000 people.
• Treat 18,700 cases of cholera in treatment units.
• Raise awareness among locals as to how to avoid infection.
• Raise awareness of cholera symptoms.
• Aimed to improve access to drinking water to more than 85% of the population.
• Access to sanitation to more than 90% of the population.
• Access to healthcare to more than 80% of the population.

Question 42

Why was the British Red Cross criticised for its work in Haiti?

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 42

Misrepresented its accomplishment after the earthquake.

The Red Cross only delivered a portion of the US$488m it raised to Haitians, in spite of a pledge to give ‘91 cents’ of each dollar.

Question 43

Outline ‘Port-au Prince’ as an area in Haiti.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 43

• Located near water.
• Population of 2.5 million.
• 20,000 cases.

Question 44

Outline ‘Centre’ as an area in Haiti.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 44

• Located away from water.
• Population of 1.6 million.
• 11,000 cases.

Question 45

Outline environmental factors affecting the spread of cholera in Haiti.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 45

• Earthquakes and rivers.
• Hurricanes can cause rainfall and flooding.
• Tropical climate increases transmission rates.

Question 46

Outline human factors affecting the spread of cholera in Haiti.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 46

• Shanty towns.
• Overcrowded.
• Caused by a spread of bacteria via humans.
• Lack of public awareness and education.

Question 47

Outline general factors affecting the spread of cholera in Haiti.

(Case Study: The British Red Cross and the Cholera Epidemic following the Haiti earthquake of 2010)

Answer 47

Farmers feared to plant in marshes due to the presence of cholera; meaning that there was less food available.

Poor sanitation makes slums more vulnerable; water and food sources contaminated.

No natural immunity to disease.