Giving Compass' Take:

· The World Health Organization recently released a list of the top 10 global health threats for 2019 ranging from air pollution to HIV. 

· Why are areas of conflict specifically vulnerable to health threats? How does the environment relate to global health? 

· Here's more on 2019 threats to public health in the US. 

Climate change, vaccine hesitancy, and a looming influenza pandemic are just some of the significant global health threats the world can expect in 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO recently released a list of 10 threats ranging from outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases to air pollution to precarious health conditions in fragile environments, outlining its priorities and marking the start of its five-year plan.

What’s notable about the list is the sheer number of threats attached to situational issues.

The threat of air pollution and climate change has now been called the “greatest environmental risk to health.” The WHO estimates that 9 out of 10 people breathe polluted air every single day. The organization also predicts that climate change will result in 250,000 more deaths per year from 2030 to 2050.

Fragile and vulnerable settings are listed as a whole due to the fact that these scenarios weaken health care systems, often leaving displaced people without access to essential services or immunization, creating breeding grounds for sickness.

Read the full article about the top 10 global health threats for 2019 by Jackie Marchildon at Global Citizen.