Lesson 8:

Introduction:
To study health care, you should be able to explain what health is. The
issue of biodiversity and health care becomes more important. So, the
need to have adequate knowledge of what constitutes proper health
care services and the roles of science and technology in solving
serious health problems are what the unit intends to address. This
lesson will present some areas of health care where science and
technology have played significant roles in providing solutions. These
include the viral diseases such as malaria, rotavirus and HIV. And the
genetic finger printing and DNA Profiling used for crime protection will
also be discussed.
Tim
 Take care of our nature,
Because we are the creator, enhancer and
the protector of the future
Human Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The importance of
diversity to human well-being and health has only gained greater
prominence when the process of loss of biological diversity alerted to
the need for conservation and rational use of living resources to
protect the flow of natural ecosystem services. Human health is one of
the most important factors influencing economic development in any
economy. Most important and immediate consequences of
environmental degradation in the world take the form of damage to
human health. Economic analysis of health impacts assumes
importance in the context of market failures or distortions. This is
mainly due to public good nature of the resources and the externalities
associated with the resource.
In general, human activity has three major negative impacts on the
natural environment:
Loss of and change to natural habitats and biodiversity;
Predatory exploitation of resources; and
Introduction of alien species in ecosystems
Another three big impacts are being currently perceived:
(4) Increase in pathogens;
(5) Increase in environmental toxicants; and
(6) Climate change
Interactions Benefits
While ecosystem services play a key role for
the health and well being of man, the loss of
biodiversity in biomes, such as deforestation
and burning of forest has affected global
climate change (Shukla et al., 1990).
They act in the detoxification of pollutants, in
the control of agricultural pests and disease
vectors, in the carbon and nitrogen cycle and in
the cycle of other nutrients that are essential
to life and food production, in the knowledge of
the active principles of the genetic
programming of micro-organisms, plants and
animals that have applications as medicine.
Today, there is no doubt that the
impact of the human population on
nature is big, leading to a drastic loss
of biodiversity (Sala et al., 2000;
Brazil, 2008).
The production of medicinal drugs and
agricultural productivity depend on the genetic
information contained in different species of
microorganisms, plants and animals obtained, for
example, by transferring genes from wild
disease-resistant species to domesticated
species that serve as food for man.
Ecosystem and the Dynamics of Diseases

● The destruction of and change in natural ecosystem with loss

of biodiversity result from human interference in nature and
other forms of change to the natural environment and human
health.
Human development has many goals, one of which
is to protect human health in the face of rapid
environmental change. Unfortunately, we often fail
to attain this goal. These changes occuring in the
biological and physical environment of the planet
as a result of human activity certainly, does have
an enormous impact on human health. To some
extent, these changes are unavoidable because in
the past, we have seriously overloaded the
environment and the consequnces have not yet
become fully apparent.
Health care is therefore a basic service essential
in any effort to combat poverty. That is why people
like Tore Godal (2000) believes that disease and
their underlying causes can affect families in a
number of ways. Theses include reduction in
productivity, impediment of education or retained
high dependencies on family members. This could
lead to adverse effects on economies of families.
He then concluded that the right investment in
health is at least as important as education.
Malaria. According to a bulletin of WHO, malaria is responsible for
4% of global deaths. Sub-Saharan Africa suffers most of the
burden of mortality and morbidity form malaria accounting for
over 85% of the disability adjusted years attributable to the
disease. Thus, over half the children in developing countries
suffer from anemia, with malaria and iron deficiency being the
main etiological factors. So far malaria control in Africa continues
to rely on the adequate and prompt treatment of suspected
cases, because primary prevention by means of prophylactic
drugs or vector control is rare. Also, interruption of contact
between humans and vectors through the use of insecticide
treated bed nets is a promising approach that is slowly being
implemented.
Rotavirus. Rotavirus is virus that commonly
causes diarrhea in children. Rotavirus causes
600,000 deaths a year and about 125 million
cases of illness. Most of these deaths are in
law income countries. Death results not from
infection but dehydration caused by profuse
diarrhea, nausea and vomiting unless O.R.T.
can be given. There are no drug treatments for
rotavirus and currently no licensed vaccine
following the withdrawal of the first of its kind
last year. Now, these researchers have
discovered how the virus tiggers fluid loss from
the intestines and in so doing, have identified
new targets for drug development.
Vaccine carrying Potatoes. Nutritious potatoes are being
genetically engineered to carry vaccines against public
health hazards; and for the first time, cooking has not
inactivatrd a candidate vaccine. Developed by Dr.
Charles J. Arnizen of Cornell University Institute for Plant
Research in Ithaca, he and his colleagues inserted into
the vegetable, a gene that makes a harmless component
of cholera toxin that includes a significant immune
response in the recipient. With this new vaccine, they
hope to prevent many of the estimated 5 million cases of
cholera that occur annually throughout the world, causing
so many infant deaths, leading to massive diarrhea that
cause life threatening dehydration, that children
particularly can die of quickly.
Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs when the
density of the bone becomes light because it has
lost its mineral content. This is a global health
problem that will take on increasing significance as
people live longer and the world's population
continues to increase. Current treatments have
been restricted due to lack of drugs capable of
restoring bone mass to normal level.
Making Muscle from Bone Marrow. Victims of
traumatic injury and muscle wasting disorder,
muscular dystrophy have a first ray of hope os
somebody building a new skeletal muscle.
Some italian researchers - Drs Fulvio Marilio
and colleagues for H. San Rafferele Telethon
Institute for Gene theraphy in Milan have
dicovered that bone marrow in mice contains a
population of primitive stem cells that
specialize in forming a new muscle.
HIV/ Care and Prevention Service
HIV/Care and prevention Service. The
havoc that AIDS and HIV transmission
is wrecking in our world today does
require an introduction but Marshal and
Hunt (2000) by way of caution wrote
that " As with other developmental
issues, HIV is about people's control
over their lives. Ultimately, it relies on
people realizing that their future lies in
their own hands". By way of care, a
study in Thailand showed that short
course Zidovudine treatment reduced
mother to child transmission og HIV by
approximately half among women who
did not breast feed.
The Vaccines were also to be tested on
2,500 volunteers in Thailand. The specified
vaccine in one formulation was designed to
protect against the strains of HIV found in
America, Western Europe, and Australia and
also to protect against typical strains of AIDS
causing virus found in Thailand, Japan,
Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Health they
say is wealth and that is why there are huge
investments in matters concering health care
worldwide.
Genetic Finger
Printing & DNA
Profiling
 In 1995 there was abcase of three women who each
In 1995 there
claimed was
they gaveabcase
birth to of
babythree
girls women
at a private who each claimed
they Maternity
gave birth to in
Home baby
Lagos. girls
Twoatof athemprivate Maternity
were told their Home in
Lagos. Two died
babies of them
duringwere toldprocess.
the birth their babies
But when dieda TV
during the birth
process. But covered
program when a theTV story
program
of a 65covered
year oldthe story of a 65 year
woman
old woman who claimed
who claimed to have givento have given
birth to mirage birth
babyto atmirage
the baby at
same Maternity
the same MaternityHome,
Home, the two
the other
two women
other became
women abecame a
suspicious.
suspicious. ThisThis
ledledtoto aa situantion
situantionwhere where eacheach
of theof the three
womenthree womentobegan
began lay to lay claim
claim to theto the living child.
living child. The
The situation
situation generated public interest and after seven
generated public interest and after seven years of extensive
years of extensive investigation and court proceeding,
investigation and had
a court verdict courtto be
proceeding, a court
given. The verdict verdict
would not had to be
given.have
Thebeen
verdict would
possible withoutnota conclusive
have been possible without a
scientific
conclusive scientific
proof of who the proof of who
real mother of the real mother
the child is. of the child is.
 Members
Nathalyn Kaye Arias
Angelo Maro Cervantes
Hannah Mae Fernado
Jhon Christopher A. Avila