Sustainable Societies

Health

In an age of far-reaching technological achievements, human health and well being still remain the greatest challenges worldwide. Disparities in accessibility to health care are resulting in a further widening of the gap between rich and poor, as poverty remains the number one killer in the world. One quarter of all deaths are due to communicable diseases such as AIDS and pneumonia, while 60% are from non-communicable diseases strongly associated with the aggressive marketing of unhealthy habits. Differences in regional health conditions, such as malnutrition and high child mortality rates in developing areas and obesity and low child mortality rates in developed areas, are vast and growing. Many health problems will be exacerbated by worsening or inadequate environmental conditions, unequal access to information and services, high-risk sexual behavior, low social status for women and unsafe food supplies.