Ya Ali Madad,
It’s 2022, and the coronavirus is still out there although protections against the virus are in place. After a miserable year-and-a-half, alternating between lockdowns and new outbreaks, life can finally begin returning to normal.
But it will not be the old normal. It will be a new world, with a reshaped economy and a new perspective on life.
Despite more than two years of COVID-19, everyone remains steadfast on the mission to improve global health — and there are lots of reasons to be optimistic about the world’s progress.
Over the past year, we’ve seen remarkable collaboration across borders, between institutions, and among individuals. We’ve seen exciting new innovations, progress against some of the world’s deadliest diseases, expanded support for mental health services, and landmark commitments at the UN climate negotiations.
Though the threats to the world’s health are many, there are still plenty of headlines that give us hope for a healthier, more equitable world in 2022.
Here are some trends that give us hope for the year ahead.
Breakthrough mRNA vaccines. Messenger RNA vaccines, or mRNA vaccines, have been under study and development for decades. Last year, they became available to the public as some of the first COVID-19 vaccines approved for use. The implications for the future of global health are monumental.
The expansion of mental health support. COVID-19 has taken a major toll on mental health worldwide, especially on younger people, health care workers, and women. But the pandemic has also helped reduce the stigma around mental health issues, exposing how common they are (close to 1 billion people struggle with conditions like anxiety or depression) and how widespread the need is for quality mental health services.
The momentum – and commitment – needed to address the climate crisis. At the 2021 United Nations climate conference, COP26, global leaders and more than 20,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries made important pledges to take climate action and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. These include new commitments to invest in clean technologies, cut methane emissions, and end and reverse deforestation, while financial institutions committed over $130 trillion to help get the economy to net zero.
So, the future is promising and we only need to remain committed and do our part.
#Stay Home
#Stay Safe
#Be Responsible
