Task 2 - Identification of a specific problematic situation

presented by:

Karol Vanessa Suarez Moreno

Group: 42

Presented to:

Amel Edisson Amaya

National Open and Distance University-UNAD

School of Basic Health Sciences-ECISA

Geopolitics and environment

April,2024
 Introduction

The geopolitics being a study of Geography and politics, it understands, explains and

predicts all behavior through different geographic environmental variables. On the other hand,

Environmental health is concerned with evaluating, controlling and correcting negative factors

towards the environment. According to the Foundation of Strategic and International Studies.

Now, Geopolitics and the environment are related to each other since both cover political,

economic, social and ecological issues.

This activity presents an identified problematic situation, which is the cause of a negative

environmental impact and problems for the health of the inhabitants. It also mentions the impacts

on human health and epidemiological data that describe the severity of the identified diseases.
 Pollution in natural sources that causes diarrheal diseases.

Water pollution is a serious problem that affects health and the environment; This is a

public health problem that occurs in many places in the country. It is worth mentioning that

fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals used in agriculture also contaminate water by infiltrating

aquifers or reaching rivers, streams, springs or water sources. According to WHO (2023)

Contaminated water and poor sanitation contribute to the transmission of diseases such as

cholera, other diarrheal diseases, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid fever and polio.

Identified problem:

In the Santa Helena village of the Municipality of Garzón-Huila, a very notable problem

occurs that negatively affects the health of the inhabitants of this rural area. This path is

surrounded by a stream called “La Pescada” and this water source is joined by a stream where

most farmers drink this water and through pipes this water is used in homes for daily

consumption. When studying the area where this water is born, it is being contaminated with

waste, fertilizers, disposables and other decomposing materials such as diapers and garbage. It

should be noted that this water reaches the houses of the town's inhabitants through the aqueduct.

The inhabitants of this village express that in some cases they consume water without boiling it,

which has generated diarrheal diseases, especially in children. On the other hand, this water also

reaches the stream where many of the children bathe in it without taking into account that it is

contaminated water. It is also clarified that it is the inhabitants themselves who, in a certain way,

throw away this waste, which not only affects people but also the fauna and flora.
Causes and health impacts

Being a natural water source, it brings many benefits to the community; as is having drinking

water for everyone, however, not being properly cared for and treated has negative impacts on

human health, fauna and flora of the place. One of the most common diseases that arise is

diarrheal diseases, especially in the child population since they are more likely to promote

malnutrition, low defenses and vulnerability to any infectious process during their

development. This is caused by bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms that we store in

infectious waters. If other diseases that can affect health are mentioned, it is dengue; since

water stagnates (as can be seen in the photographs there is stored water and additional garbage

around it), on the other hand, it can cause schistosomiasis on the skin due to the penetration of

parasites into the skin when children go to these sources water to bathe as fun.

Epidemiological data;
 The National Institute of Health (2021) carried out a study to identify the morbidity of

EDA according to the cases reported from the year 2013-2021, for which they obtained the

following results:

Figure 1. Reported cases of Acute Diarrheal diseases, Colombia, 2013-2021.

The behavior by age groups for 2021 shows the groups from 0 to 4 years old with the

highest number of cases (396,330). In the group of children under 1 year of age, 87,022 cases

were reported for an incidence of 113 cases per 1,000 children under 1 year of age. For the age

group 1 to 4 years, 309,308 cases were reported for an incidence of 98.7 cases per 1,000 children

aged 1 to 4 years. The age groups of 25 to 29 years and 80 and over reported incidences greater

than 40 cases per 1,000 (INS, 2021)

Figure 5. Incidence rate by age group of Acute Diarrheal Disease, Colombia, 2021

In 2020, children under 1 year of age were the most affected with an incidence rate of

100.5 cases per 1,000 children, followed by the group aged 80 and over with an incidence of

88.8 cases and the group from 1 to 4. years with a rate of 69.4 cases per 1,000 inhabitants. The

age groups that showed incidences of less than 25 cases per 1,000 inhabitants were those from 5

to 19 years (INS, 2022).

 Conclusion

It is important to mention that the problem that affects my surroundings is a problem that

occurs throughout the country; which brings with it many disadvantages and problems for the

health of citizens. In this case, the affected place and its possible causes were identified,

mentioning the diseases that affect it, specifying that the most vulnerable population is children.

On the other hand, the figures that the national institute presented from previous years,

incidence and morbidity of EDA at the national level were studied, which reveals that it is

considered a problem for public health in Colombia.

 Referencias

Instituto Nacional de Salud, (2022). Protocolo de vigilancia de la morbilidad por enfermedad

diarreica aguda. Minsalud. Enf_diarreica_aguda.pdf (saludcapital.gov.co)

Instituto Nacional de Salud, (2021).Informe de evento Morbilidad por enfermedad diarreica

Aguda. Minsalud. EDA INFORME 2021.pdf (ins.gov.co)

Organización Mundial de la salud, (2023). Agua para el consumo humano, OMS. Agua para

consumo humano (who.int)

Ministerio de Salud y Protección social., (2012). Dimensión Salud Ambiental: Plan decenal de

salud pública 2022-2031. Open this document with ReadSpeaker

docReader https://www.minsalud.gov.co/sites/rid/Lists/BibliotecaDigital/RIDE/VS/ED/

PSP/lineamientos-formulacion-pdsp-2022-2031.pdf

Vargas Marcos, F. (2005). La contaminaci6n ambiental como factor determinante de la

salud. https://www.scielosp.org/article/resp/2005.v79n2/117-127/es/

Amaya, A. E. (2022). Factor Ambiental de la Geopolítica.

[Objeto_virtual_de_Informacion_OVI]. Repositorio Institucional UNAD.

https://repository.unad.edu.co/handle/10596/50941