Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is a missed target in Asia particularly in South Asian region: Nancy D Lewis, Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri

Pakistan is facing challenges in meeting Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). High population rates, changing demographic patterns, ageing populations, human activities and their impacts on environment and climate have been critical concerns of international community.

Pakistan has the seventh highest prevalence rate of Diabetes, stated Nancy D Lewis of East-West Centre, USA at the special lecture on "Globalization and health in South Asia" organized by SDPI here on Tuesday. Dr Abid Q. Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI conducted the proceedings and underlined the need for efficient track II diplomacy among nations to effectively deal with the growing economic and social challenges across globe. “Millennium Development Goal us missed target in South Asia” he added.

Dr Nancy shared her experiences of South Asia and talked on various aspects of concern including Asia’s population issues, environmental challenges, globalization and Asia’s health. Citing some key figures of global and Asian health situation, she underlined that a safer future was both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility. She was of the view that there was a dire need of awareness among masses and sensitization among policy-makers that there was a basic standard of living which has to be addressed through policies and their implementation especially social policies.

Speaking of the multiple dimensions of global health, she said that global health was one of the most critical among Millennium Development Goals as there was a fertility decline and unprecedented urbanization, rising maternal and infant mortality rates. Talking of Pakistan’s water challenges and their implications on populations, she said that approximately 20-50% deaths of children under the age of 5 were due to waterborne diseases.

Highlighting gender equality in the MDG, she said that the ‘Triple Burden of Disease’ and agricultural practices, livelihood patterns and large population were some of the triggering factors of emerging infectious diseases in Asia Pacific and surrounding regions. She said that the replacement level of Pakistan was high than many other countries in the region.

She said the fertility rate was above the replacement level in Pakistan. Whereas trends in urbanization in South Asia, currently over fifty percent, were now showing upward trends. “Considerable populations are living a critical quality of life particularly with regards to health challenges,” she went on saying. She said that Karachi was among the mega cities at risk with regards to environmental pollution and livelihood standards that can have drastic implications on the health of the population.

In the question hour, role of media in raising health related awareness, the participants raised questions over the prospects of ongoing of negotiations about North-South divide on the issue of climate change with regard to transfer of modern technologies and resources to developing countries by developed world, importance of trade and human development and their relevance with South Asian regional economic integration and operationalization of SAFTA, poor governance and low allocations for social sectors by national governments, relevance of increasing temperatures globally vis-à-vis decreasing fertility, massive export of precious endangered plant and animal species from developing to developed countries at throwaway prices, and the need for more research-based campaigning and policies.