Right now, we are experiencing outbreaks of monkeypox, hepatitis, and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), with increasing prevalence. When compared to the previous year, the number of HFMD in Malaysia this year has grown two folds. Monkeypox, whichJakarta (ANTARA) - Children are the most vulnerable group in dealing with a disease outbreak, either globally or nationally, epidemiologist from Griffith University Australia, Dicky Budiman, stated.
"My analysis and predictions say that this pandemic situation has a direct and indirect impact on the global community. We must learn from our experience in handling the previous pandemic to avoid another one in the future," he emphasized in a statement on Friday.
Budiman later noted that children fell in the group that was most vulnerable to an outbreak. Pandemics in the future can potentially originate in children, as those under six years of age had not fully developed immunity to disease and experienced a decrease in the levels of antibodies during the pandemic, such as COVID-19.
In addition, old epidemics, including polio and hepatitis, or new outbreaks, such as monkeypox, have emerged on account of behavioral changes in humans that may become more vulnerable while neglecting health and environmental hygiene, thereby increasing the vulnerability of one or more populations, Budiman stated.
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Budiman pointed out that another aspect that causes vulnerability among children is the relaxation of health protocols by several countries without having the time to improve their health systems and mitigation responses.
If this trend continues, Budiman has forecast that the world will not only face one or two disease pandemics, but several extraordinary events (KLB) from old diseases, even in countries, with no potential for an outbreak.
"Right now, we are experiencing outbreaks of monkeypox, hepatitis, and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), with increasing prevalence. When compared to the previous year, the number of HFMD in Malaysia this year has grown two folds. Monkeypox, which was previously an endemic in Africa, tends to become endemic in regions outside Africa," he stated.
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Budiman also emphasized that despite the world striving to tighten health protocols encompassing washing hands, wearing masks, and maintaining distance (3M) again, these efforts will not necessarily improve the situation currently.
If each side fails to take lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to ignore vulnerable groups, an outbreak would soon occur due to local outbreaks at the national and regional levels, he stressed.
Hence, each country is expected to collaborate more comprehensively, especially in improving detection, response, laboratory capacity, human resources, environmental sanitation, environmental change, and healthier behavior.
"At the end of this COVID-19 pandemic, we must be ready to face other outbreaks," he concluded.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma S, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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