An expectant mother’s health determines the health of her baby. In low-resource areas of the world, women receive too little information and scant professional attention about healthy practices during their pregnancies.
This time last year, I wrote an editorial describing the wildfires burning north of San Francisco, where many WiRED volunteers and board members live. Because of air pollution, we were holed up in our homes, able to venture outside only for chores and obligations we could not avoid. This year the fires have returned, and so has the air pollution, although the air isn’t as foul as it was last year. This year’s new disaster-related feature was the preemptive electricity outages, where power companies plunged 2.7 million people into darkness. Of course, neither the pollution nor the blackouts approach the horrors of the fires themselves and the losses to people who suffered through those infernos.
The World Health Organization (WHO) placed air pollution and climate change at the top of its list of ten threats to global health in 2019 — even ahead of such concerns as noncommunicable diseases and Ebola. Air pollution seriously affects health. There are two main types of air pollution: ambient air pollution (outdoor pollution) and household (or indoor) air pollution (pollution generated by household combustion of coal, wood or kerosene using open fires or basic stoves in poorly ventilated spaces).
Last month the WiRED–Armenia team conducted a training in Yerevan, Armenia, for members joining the program and establishing new health centers in their respective communities throughout the country.
November is National Diabetes Month — a time to learn about diabetes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 422 million adults have diabetes, and 1.6 million deaths are directly related to diabetes every year.
Disasters such as fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and violent storms can cause great harm. These kinds of events underline the importance of a One Health perspective — the critical link among humans, animals and the environment that we all share.
Thanks to its dedicated translators, WiRED International now offers 19 health education modules in the Armenian language on topics of pressing concern in Armenia such as diabetes, dental hygiene and quitting tobacco. Dozens more modules are in the works or planned for the near future, many related to WiRED’s large community health worker training project.
The New York Times recently ran a piece called “One Thing You Can Do: Talk to Your Children about Climate Change.” The article encouraged parents not only to talk to their children but to get them involved in solutions to the dangers of climate change.
What is the first line of defense against almost all infectious diseases? Yes, that’s right — handwashing. Handwashing is key to the prevention of everything from the common cold to Ebola. Handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs (bacteria, parasites and viruses) to avoid getting sick and to prevent the spread of germs to other people.
Are you ready for flu season? The best way to prevent flu is by getting vaccinated each year. Influenza or flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by several viruses. Flu resembles the common cold because it infects the same organs (nose, throat, lungs) and has similar symptoms.