Globalization contributing to spread of infectious diseases – Dr. Yakubu Akparibo

Dr. Issaka Yakubu Akparibo, first Ghanaian Aerospace Medicine Specialist, has indicated that one of the leading factors behind the wide spread of viruses such as the coronavirus is globalization. “With the world being more of a global village, it’s quite easy to contract diseases as these diseases travel faster rather than the years where we used to live in isolation”. He made this known at a public forum on Coronavirus held at the Executive Theatre of TV3 under the theme “Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) and their effects on Public Health Management in Ghana” on Tuesday. Dr. Issaka Yakubu Akparibo also mentioned change in behaviour, noting that the food we consume especially the types of animals we feed on is a major contributing factor in contracting infectious diseases. He also stated that contracting the coronavirus for now is in two folds: where one comes into contact with the respiratory droplets of an infected person who coughs or a direct contact with an infected person.

The aerospace medicine specialist indicated that there are two surest way of preventing the contraction of coronavirus:  prevent exposure and through vaccination. Dr. Akparibo however stated that unlike Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) where its mode of transmission was known due to various researches done, medical experts don’t completely know that of coronavirus. The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in mainland China reached at least 1,868 with 72,436 infections confirmed, according to health officials in China. By Josephine Aku Selorm Gator | Ghana