Man-made causes for disease outbreak

NAIROBI - Environmental changes wrought by population movement, destruction of habitats and other factors may be behind a resurgence of infectious diseases, a United Nations study says.

A rise in cases of diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, and the recent crossover to humans of others such as the Nipah virus, are linked to a host of changes that create more favourable conditions for their spread, according to a report by the UN Environmental Programme.

Deforestation, unplanned urban sprawl, poor waste management, pollution, building of roads and dams and rising temperatures are among the aggravating factors.

Infectious diseases cause about 15 million deaths annually, or about a quarter of all fatalities, the UN agency says.

In Southeast Asia and Africa, they account for two-thirds of all deaths, with the majority of them children and young adults.

The environmental roots of the rise in infectious diseases is one of the "emerging challenges" listed in the agency's annual Global Environmental Outlook.

"What is good for the environment is good for health, and what is good for health is good for development," the agency's health and environment expert Hiremagalur Gopalan said.

- REUTERS