HEALTH
Health Issues
in ASEAN Countries
and Addressing Resistance to Antimalarial
Medicines” on November 20, 2012.
Measles is another health problem
affecting the region. Around 45% of global
fatalities, or 70,700 children died because
Photo by Muscle Injection, www.flickr.com
of the disease in 2011. It is estimated that
The Association of Southeast
Asian Nations or ASEAN is an
organization with most member
countries still far from being
considered as advanced or first
class countries.
P
over 8 million children don’t have any form
of protection against the disease.
Non-communicable diseases, maternal
and perinatal conditions, and nutritional
deficiencies are also significant health issues
among ASEAN countries. Southeast Asia has
27% of the global disease burden due to noncommunicable diseases. Every year, nearly 8
overty is still a problem in the
and unsafe agricultural produce affects the
million people die due to non-communicable
region, and is reflected in the
lives of millions of people in the region. The
health conditions. This is more than half of
region’s health situation. The
threats of A1H1 and swine flu are big health
all deaths recorded in the region. Smoking
economic, political, and social diversity of
problems that require careful and decisive
and other vices including habitual alcohol
ASEAN societies also contribute to health
solutions.
consumption, drug addiction and the
consumption of unhealthy food contribute
issues.
PREVAILING HEALTH WOES
THE ASEAN HEALTH SITUATION
to the prevalence of major health threats.
The Philippines has to wrestle with
Data compiled from the World
poverty and a large population to make
REGIONAL ACTION PLAN ON HEALTHY
Health Organization, the United Nations
healthcare more accessible to more citizens.
LIFESTYLES
Population Fund, and the World Bank reveal
Burma and Vietnam are trying to address the
As ASEAN economies steadily gain
a great disparity in health conditions. Richer
spread of HIV/AIDS. HIV prevalence in Burma
ground, new health problems notably emerge.
countries like Singapore and Brunei tend to
is estimated at 1.3% while it is 0.5% for
Surin Pitsuwan, ASEAN Secretary-General,
have healthier citizens while the less wealthy
Vietnam. Thailand is seeking to fix the health
said that wealth increase across Southeast
ones like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam suffer
disparity between the country’s wealthy
Asian countries is introducing a new wave
from lower access to health care and are
and poor populations. Even relatively-rich
of health problems such as diabetes, lung
less prepared in handling emergency health
Singapore has to deal with health issues,
disease, heart disease, and hypertension.
issues and threats.
mainly attributed to pollution and unhealthy
Lack of exercise, stress from work or business
lifestyles.
endeavors, consumption of instant food and
Earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and
volcanic eruptions cause numerous fatalities
Malaria is still a major health burden.
sugary beverages, and vices such as smoking
and consequent environmental conditions
Eliminating the disease has bec