Introduction
Healthcare professionals ensure a sustainable future for an entire country. They can negate many issues through their expertise and resources. However, without economic stability, access to necessities, and healthcare services, any population would deteriorate rapidly (Artiga & Hinton, 2018). Zimbabwe lacks many of these essential protective mechanisms, which leads to numerous problems, such as the abundance of bacteria in its water supply. If the United States water resources were similarly contaminated, the impact would be easily negated with the help of healthcare professionals.
Water Safety and Health in Zimbabwe
In the example of Zimbabwe, it can be seen how the lack of such specialists harms society. Despite having a population of 15,42 million people and a birth rate of 32.77/1,000, 23.1% of citizens do not have access to drinking water and often suffer from waterborne diseases (“Zimbabwe,” 2023). The lack of sanitation, especially in rural parts of the country, perpetuates the problem. Health expenditures in the nation consist of 3.4% of its Gross Domestic Product, yet many waterborne, foodborne, animal contact, water contact, and vectorborne diseases plague Zimbabwe’s population (“Zimbabwe,” 2023). The well-being of people in Zimbabwe is under constant threat.
A solid healthcare system can neutralize many risk factors that can harm people. If the United States’ water supplies were suddenly akin to Zimbabwe’s, the most dangerous illness would be diarrhoeal disease. This illness, which is the primary cause of high child mortality in low-income countries, including Zimbabwe, will leave the vulnerable parts of the U.S. population exposed to risks of malnutrition and dehydration (World Health Organization, 2017).
Fluid loss will turn people lethargic and unable to fulfill their social and professional roles. However, healthcare professionals can negate its long-term consequences by providing rotavirus vaccinations and issuing necessary directions for stopping the spread of this disease, such as the sanitation regime (Ndugga & Artiga, 2022). Thus, such a situation will be negated within a short period.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if the United States were as afflicted by waterborne diseases as Zimbabwe, diarrhea and other infections that transfer this way would rapidly infect its population. Waterborne illnesses would become extremely prevalent, especially among children. Due to the sheer number of patients, access to healthcare services would be impaired. However, the disease is easily preventable by healthcare professionals, who can provide necessary instructions and direct the country’s resources toward necessary actions that stop further contamination quickly.
References
Artiga, S., & Hinton, E. (2018). Beyond health care: The role of social determinants in promoting health and health equity. Kaiser Family Foundation. Web.
Ndugga, N., & Artiga, S. (2022). Climate change and health equity: Key questions and answers. Kaiser Family Foundation. Web.
World Health Organization. (2017). Diarrhoeal disease. Web.
Zimbabwe. (2023). Central Intelligence Agency. Web.