Who’s WHO, And How Does It Help Worldwide Dental Issues?
“The World Health Organization (WHO) is the UN agency charged with spearheading international public health efforts. Over its nearly seventy-five years, the WHO has logged both successes, such as eradicating smallpox, and perceived failures, such as its delayed response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014.”
– CFR.org
Oh yeah, we remember that virus thingee, what was it called … Covid, Coronavirus, lockdowns, mask wearing, and dentists had a bit of rough time, didn’t we? Lots of upset patients not wanting to get vaccinated or put on masks. Seemingly everyday folks in Bunnings declaring they were sovereign citizens. A lot of red flags with union jacks and many of us thought they were actually naval Australian flags? Marches down the main street of our cities with strange coalitions of groups. Nazis hanging out with new age folk. Boy oh boy, that was a chaotic and crazy time. Donald Trump was the President of the United States and he had it in for the WHO. The World Health Organization! A blowhard, orange demagogue was the man in the White House. For many, they were scary times.
WHO Cops Some Flak On The Political Front, It Would Be Hard Not To
Anything that the United Nations does and it does a lot, attracts plenty of criticism from vested interests. This is pretty much par for the course if you are going to lay out ground rules for some nearly 8 billion people. Come on, let’s get real here there is lots of opposition for leaders of any sort from the hoi poloi. Nations don’t like being bossed around by experts from the UN. We all saw how controversial public health policy can be around the globe and here in Australia. In the US, nearly a million Americans died from Covid in the richest nation on earth. They were so messed up on their ideological crap they would rather die than get vaccinated and wear a face mask. The GOP made much hot air of out any sensible health advice coming from the scientists in charge. It was a travesty and showed the stupidity of these human beings. Actually, most of the deaths happened to poor African Americans and Latinos who were collateral damage in a grossly inequitable country of obscene wealth and lots of poverty. Donald Trump was a disruptive leader who went around recommending people drink bleach and take other crackpot remedies to cure Covid. America is a land of wildly different and divided dental and health outcomes for its 400 million population. You would not look toward the US for good ideas about public health policy or universal health insurance. Australia is far from perfect but we are light years ahead of America as a whole.
In a 2022 WHO Discussion Paper on a Global Oral Health Action Plan the organisation stated:
“Most oral diseases and conditions are preventable and can be effectively addressed through population-based public health measures at different levels.”
There are 94 actions listed in this paper and although much of it can sound like committee-speak guff there are many worthy intentions included in it. Fluoride is emphasised and a desire to raise the number of countries which have fluoride deliver pathways for their citizens to around 50%. They set a target of having 75% of the entire global population covered by oral health care services by 2030. A dentist for everyone, wherever you may be on planet earth. WHO wants to see oral diseases like gum disease reduced in prevalence globally by 10% by 2030. Getting rid of Mercury in dental amalgam is another intention and they want 90% of all countries to have implemented two measures toward achieving this aim. Sugar-sweetened beverages getting taxed to deter consumption by 70% of all nations by 2030 is another stated aim. Putting price pressure on sugary drinks is a good idea. Diet is a key here, as this can reduce the problem of decay, infections, and gum disease at the source.
Time For A Health Tax On Sugary & Unhealthy Foods & Drinks
Why should corporations be able to make billions out of selling stuff that directly damages people’s health. Make them pay by taxing them and taxing their products. Sugary drinks, fast foods, and processed foods have a lot to answer for and it is about time the manufacturers were held accountable. Ordinary tax payers in Australia and elsewhere end up footing the bill for poor health choices and outcomes by those who are encouraged by marketing and promotions to consume sugary crap. Bill the businesses for the damage their products do to the people who consume them. Soft drink consumption is a major problem here in Australia and right around the globe. The manufacturers should be paying health taxes. Our tax revenue in Australia is already under pressure from an ageing population and too many companies who avoid paying their fair share. Multinationals who get around the rules by basing their nominal headquarters in Ireland and the Cayman Islands. We should tighten the rules to force the Googles, Apples, and Microsofts to pay a reasonable amount of tax on the billions of dollars they earn here. Australia needs to stand up as a world leader and stop cringing in fear of being unpopular with billionaires and CEOs.
“The Australian Medical Association is continuing its call for a tax on sugary drinks to curb the nation’s growing obesity and chronic disease, following the release of new data showing a staggering 64 per cent of Australians are likely to be overweight or obese by 2030.”
– AMA.com.au
Feeble Governments & Profit Focused Corporations
Unhealthily fed with bad teeth and gum disease – meet the children of Australia! It is time that feeble governments stop kowtowing to big corporations and their party political donations. If we made all donations illegal and set a state funded and limited campaign budget we could end the problem today. Plus, all dinners with the PM at a $1000 per head would also be illegal to stop this loophole as well. No campaign fund raising zero, zilch, none. If the political pageant was taken out of governing then we could get real leaders doing good things for the country and its citizens. Instead we get an adversarial two party bunfight that goes 24/7. We get fear mongering about dangerous folk coming by boat to our huge island continent.
Stop the pollies ranting and raving.
The WHO is a worthy UN entity doing and saying good things that we all should listen to and get behind.
Disclaimer: The material posted is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Results vary with each patient. Any dental procedure carries risks and benefits. If you have any specific questions about any dental and/or medical matter, you should consult your dentist, physician or other professional healthcare providers.
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