In the latest from PM360, Roshan Rahnama, Head of Commercial x Public Health Strategy at McCann Global Health and McCann Health New Jersey/San Francisco, discusses the healthcare ramifications of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, as well as the need to address the cholera crisis.
In addition to the devastation from the earthquakes, Roshan says the risk of contracting diseases like cholera – a highly virulent disease – is exacerbated by the natural disasters.
“For both countries, cholera comes as another catastrophe on top of mounting crises such as displacement in wintertime, mental health trauma, injury, loss and separation, and other harm,” Roshan said.
However, Roshan notes that this risk of cholera could have been mitigated and even avoided.
“Simply, the market for cholera has not been perceived as investable enough and has been sidestepped to other immunization opportunities,” she said. “Arguably, however, as proven yet again by the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the time to solve the crisis of cholera is now—the need is indisputable and the solution is essential.”
Roshan stresses that eradicating cholera is an “opportunity and responsibility for both public and private sectors to collaboratively address.”
“After 206 years, we should do better—we must do better,” she said.
