21st Century Health Challenges and the Role of Public Health

This assignment analyzes the biggest health challenges of the 21st century, focusing on the transition from infectious diseases to chronic illnesses and disabilities, the aging population, and the rise of multi-morbidity. It addresses the increasing healthcare costs and other global challenges such as climate change, air pollution, and lack of education. Despite these challenges, the assignment expresses optimism, highlighting global efforts to improve health, such as the Millennium Development Goals and the advancements in public health agencies through technology and big data analytics. It also emphasizes the role of NGOs and globalization in raising awareness. The assignment references relevant sources and concludes with a hopeful outlook for the future of global public health, envisioning improved health equity and community conditions, particularly for lower-income groups. The assignment follows the structure of a blog, as requested in the assignment brief, and uses blogging as a tool in public health communication.

Biggest health challenge of 21st century
The whole world is changing and healthcare sector is not an exception as well. The
world has transitioned from a stage where infectious diseases were main threat to a stage
where multiple chronic illness and disability is the biggest health challenge for the people
from all over the world. According to A Medium Corporation [US] (2018) populations are
ageing and simultaneously, people are experiencing long-term diseases and a new
phenomenon known as multi-morbidity has been noticed. At the same time, another
challenge is the increased healthcare cost.
Other global challenges
The 20th century achieved several milestones that include reduced mortality rate from
heart disease and stroke, improved sanitation and reduced tobacco use. But still, various
global challenges are affecting the healthcare sector. Also, not only the challenge regarding
health sector but also the issue of climate change, education, air-pollution and other global
challenges, the health of people gets affected. The climate change cause migration of people
from one place to another and air-pollution has been a major threat for the health of people
across the world. Also, the lack of education among the people causes lack of awareness and
knowledge which affects their health to a great extent.
Why I feel optimistic?
In spite of the challenges, 21st century began with the global effort to improve the
health of the people. The declaration of the Millennium Development Goals in the year 2000
is aimed to improve health and in this purpose it is embedded into a set of social goals that
focuses in reducing poverty and acknowledging the interrelationship of health and its
determinants. Public awareness regarding the life-threatening problems is also growing

simultaneously (Laaser and Brand 2014). Also, the advance capabilities of Public health
Agencies (PHA) in technology as well as in Big Data Analytics is looking forward to a
improved healthcare experience. It is assumed that by the year 2030, a better health and
health equity will be found along with a less demand for healthcare. Again, an improved
community condition, especially for the people of lower income group is desired. Therefore,
considering the strong role of NGOs in the health sector across the world and globalization to
increase awareness through social media and many other platforms, I feel optimistic about the
future direction of global public health.

References
A Medium Corporation [US] (2018) The biggest health challenge of the 21st century — and
how little we know about it [online]. Available from
https://medium.com/oxford-university/the-biggest-health-challenge-of-the-21st-century-and-
how-little-we-know-about-it-ebe879581ea5 [Accessed 20 May 2019].
Laaser, U. and Brand, H., 2014. Global health in the 21st century. Global health action, 7(1),
p.23694.