Understanding global security - Peter Hough

HEALTH THREATS TO SECURITY
Table 7.3 The ten deadliest non-communicable diseases in the world
Disease Contributory factors Main areas affected Annual
deaths
1 Ischaemic heart Poor diet – excessive fat Global, particularly significant 6.9 million
disease
in North & East Europe
2 Cerebrovascular Various Global, particularly significant 5.1 million
heart disease
in East Asia and Europe
3 Chronic obstructive Tobacco smoking Global, particularly significant 2.5 million
lung disorders
in East Asia
4 Perinatal disorders Poor hospital hygiene LDCs in Africa & Asia 2.4 million
5 Lung, bronchus Tobacco smoking Global, particularly prevalent 1.2 million
and trachea cancer
in East Europe and N. America
6 Diabetes mellitus Poor diet – excessive Global, particularly prevalent 0.8 million
sugar
in N. America, E. Europe &
Middle East
7 Cirrhosis Alcohol consumption Global, particularly in the 0.8 million
developed world
8 Stomach cancer Various, poor diet Global, particularly prevalent 0.7 million
suspected
in East Asia
9 Congenital Lack of pre-natal Global, particularly prevalant 0.7 million
abnormalities diagnosis in SE Asia & Middle East
10 Liver cancer Often prompted by Global, particularly prevalent 0.6 million
hepatitis B
in E. Asia
Source: Figures from Murray et al. (2001).
growth in international trade and the birth of liberal internationalism prompted the
‘Concert’ powers to consider a response. In 1851 the first International Sanitary
Conference was held in Paris but failed to agree on a convention to establish harmonized
quarantine practices for cholera, plague and yellow fever which were ravaging
Europe and much of the world. Subsequent International Sanitary Conferences
also made little progress in coordinating controls in an era when barriers to free trade
and navigation were anathema to the great naval and commercial powers. A breakthrough,
however, occurred in 1892 at the seventh International Sanitation
Conference when an International Sanitary Convention for cholera was agreed on by
most of the European maritime powers. The onset of a major cholera epidemic
the following year prompted two further International Sanitary Conventions at the 8th
and 9th Conferences, which furthered measures to control the spread of that disease.
At the 10th International Sanitary Conference in 1902 a fourth Convention was agreed
on, dealing with the age-old threat of the plague.
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