what contmporary social policy has had the biggest effect on and disease prevention

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Request for Question Clarification by justaskscott-ga on 25 Sep 2002 17:37 PDT

Did you mean to say "... the biggest effect on disease prevention"? 
Or did you intend to ask about something else in addition to disease
prevention?

Hi Brave –

According to the World Health Organization:

“The two public health interventions that have had the greatest impact
on the world's health are clean water and vaccines.”

The social policy of having children and adults vaccinated against
disease has had a huge impact on preventing disease. When vaccines
were first introduced there were no comprehensive programs for
eradicating diseases, so their effects were only local. However, in
1974, after the success of the Small Pox eradication program, WHO
created the Expanded Programme on Immunization. This was the first
step in world-wide coverage of a large group of major diseases.

That program included vaccinations against smallpox, BCG and
diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccines, tuberculosis,
diphtheria, neonatal tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis and
measles.  Later the program expanded to include Yellow Fever (in
endemic countries) and Hepatitis B.

Success of the programs is indicated by the following statistics …

“In 1994, an estimated 733 000 deaths due to neonatal tetanus were
prevented, and immunization coverage of pregnant women with at least
two doses of tetanus toxoid was 48%.”

“Mass campaigns in the Americas have resulted in the virtual
disappearance of measles from that hemisphere.”

“In 1988, the World Health Assembly responded to the remarkable
successes of the Americas in controlling poliomyelitis by selecting
this disease as the next disease to be targeted for global
eradication. Strong commitment at global, regional and national levels
has led to wide implementation of  WHO's recommended strategies with
consequent reduction in virus transmission.”

So, that should answer your question. Below is the site from which all
of the above quotes were taken.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
History of Vaccines
http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/history/history.shtml


Other information can be found here ----------


CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL – NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/coverage/default.htm

CDC – IF WE STOP VACCINATING
http://www.cdc.gov/od/nvpo/part6.htm


Thanks for a great question. If anything I’ve said isn’t clear, please
ask for clarification.

--K~

search terms

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