The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is concerned that the growing burden of epidemics on the social and economic development of poorer countries is not being sufficiently addressed. In a new report called "The epidemic divide" issued today, the IFRC recognises that non-communicable diseases such as cancers and heart attacks are now the leading causes of death worldwide, but claims that using only mortality rates to measure the impact of diseases distorts the true burden epidemics have on developing countries.

"The social and economic consequences of epidemics in developing countries need to be better evaluated. People hit by epidemics usually die or - in the case of polio - get disabled - in their most productive years, when they are young. Their death or even the very fact of them being ill for a long time prevents them from using the skills they learned at school, cultivate their land, take care of their elderly parents as well as younger brothers and sisters just, to give a few examples," explains Dr. Tammam Aloudat, IFRC Senior Officer for health in emergencies in Geneva.

The report mentions dengue fever, a disease with a relatively low mortality rate of 18,000 a year but that affects 9 million people every year who cannot continue their normal life due to sickness compounded by beleaguered health facilities and economy-sapping absenteeism.

The report also highlights the tripling of Red Cross Red Crescent operations answering epidemics between 2004 and 2007 while the number of people assisted for epidemics increased by 15.4 per cent between 2007 and 2008. "Such a rise can indicate improved capacities but also shows that outbreaks are still a major burden, especially in developing countries", it says. For the first four months of 2009, already more than 10.6 million preople needed to be assisted for epidemics by Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, already on target to surpass the 16.3 million people supported in 2008.

The report also warns against what it calls "complacency" towards epidemics in developed countries and calls it "a major threat in itself." "The re-emergence of diseases such as measles in Western Europe shows that if we ignore the growing burden of communicable disease in developing countries and we no longer take the threat seriously in wealthier economies, there is a high risk for epidemics to also affect them with severe consequences. This is why we should have effective preparedness in place for possible pandemics that ignore borders, such as the current H1N1 virus," says Dr. Aloudat.

"There is no easy formula to fight epidemics," adds Dr. Aloudat. "Reducing the impact involves addressing complex issues that include prevention of disease, empowering communities, develop partnerships, better access to health services at the community level and better infrastructure especially for water and sanitation".

"Communicable diseases are the enemies of development. The vicious circle of disease and low resources needs to be broken if development goals are to be reached", adds the IFRC report. "In a global situation where resources for tackling epidemics of infectious diseases are scarce, it is essential to channel those resources smartly and into interventions that will not only provide treatment but will also stimulate behavioural change that will lead to a genuine culture of prevention", it concludes.

Note to TV editors: Recent video footage to illustrate the report can be downloaded here: http://av.ifrc.org/Standard/i-sendBasket.index.jsp?basketID=7QGA1AJWCBBMPQWW1CEP8HJE1A

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Paul Conneally, Head of Media, Geneva. +41793089809 Jean-Luc Martinage, communications officer, global health, Geneva: +41792173386