WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL HEALTH

CONCERNS WE FACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND WHY?

In 21st century currently we are facing the most critical health concerns are:

 Heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
 Antibiotic Resistances.
 Immunization.
 Obesity.
 Mental Health.
 HIV/ AIDS

In not much more than a generation, we have transitioned from a

world in which infectious diseases were the greatest health challenge
to one in which multiple chronic illnesses and disability are the biggest
threat. The implications for our health systems are massive, but not
only are they alarmingly ill equipped to cope; we are facing a
frightening lack of evidence on how they need to be adapted. If we
don’t address this evidence gap quickly. We cannot hope to create
health systems capable of delivering the comprehensive care patients
so desperately need. Populations are ageing; between 2015 and 2050,
the proportion of people aged over 60 is projected too almost double,
reaching around 2.1 billion. As a result, many more people are
experiencing several diseases simultaneously, a phenomenon known as
multimorbidity. Despite the scale and urgency of this global problem,
we lack reliable data particularly when it comes to younger adults and
developing countries. We also know very little about how effective
health services are at dealing with multiple chronic conditions in the
same person. Most health systems around the world are designed
around a single condition or body system, with ever-increasing sub-
specialization by health professionals in recent decades. Not only this,
but research that guides healthcare often excludes people with multiple
chronic conditions, potentially limiting its applicability to an ever-
diminishing number of people. The focus of the 21st-century health
care system must be the patient. Such a system will ensure that
patients have access to the safest and highest-quality care, regardless
of how much they earn, where they live, how sick they are, or the color
of their skin.