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Sayurusara 2023 June 43

Pandemics, or global outbreaks of
like educating the public on hand hygiene and
infectious diseases, have the potential to
respiratory etiquette, promoting vaccination,
cause widespread illness and death, disrupt
and supporting quarantine and isolation
economies and societies, and threaten global
measures when necessary.
security. While it is impossible to predict the
specifics of future pandemics, there are steps Another important aspect of facing future
that can be taken to prepare for and respond to pandemics is building global resilience and
such events. solidarity. This means working together as
a global community to share knowledge,
One of the most important ways to face
resources, and expertise, and to support each
future pandemics is to invest in strong public
other during times of crisis. It also means
health systems. This includes funding for
addressing issues of equity and fairness,
research and development of new vaccines and
ensuring that marginalized and vulnerable
treatments, as well as infrastructure for disease
populations have access to the same level of
surveillance, outbreak response, and healthcare
protection and care as those who are more
delivery. It also means building capacity for public
privileged.
health emergency preparedness, including
training and equipping healthcare workers and Finally, it is important to recognize that
establishing plans for communication, logistics, pandemics are not just health crises, but
and resource management. also social and economic crises. Therefore,
it is essential to address the non-medical
Another key strategy is to improve global
impacts of pandemics, such as food insecurity,
health security. This includes strengthening
economic disruption, and social isolation. This
the international system for detecting and
can involve measures like providing economic
responding to potential pandemics, as well as
support to affected individuals and businesses,
addressing the underlying drivers of disease
and implementing policies to protect against
emergence and spread, such as poverty, conflict,
price gouging and other forms of exploitation.
and environmental degradation. For example,
efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, Facing future pandemics will require a
reduce deforestation, and improve animal multifaceted approach that addresses both the
husbandry practices can help reduce the risk of medical and non-medical dimensions of these
zoonotic diseases (those that are transmitted events. This will require strong public health
from animals to humans). systems, improved global health security, local
preparedness, global solidarity, and a focus on
In addition, it is essential to prioritize
resilience and equity.
preparedness at the local level. This includes
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developing and practicing emergency response
Lieutenant Commander(VNF)
plans, as well as promoting individual and
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community-level measures to reduce the spread
of infectious diseases. This can include things SLNS Parakrama