The winds came at night, followed by the rain. Though the elders had warned about the coming calamity, many gave it little heed. By morning, the rivers were full and the rain increasing. Alarmed, many gathered what they could and headed for the hills. Others fortified their dwelling and hoped for the best. The levies upstream, however, could not stand the onslaught and by the end of the day, burst their banks. The flood inundated everything downstream and destroyed or damaged much in its path.
Scenarios such as the above incident are common.  More often than not, we tend to overlook the warnings and advice of our elders and experts, with dire consequences. Today, too, many are and have been sounding alarms that our world is at peril. Yet we seem to be numb to it all.
Many countries in the world are having their election this year, including sixteen African countries, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, the US and seven others on the American continent. In Asia, eighteen countries, including India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, North and South Korea, and Taiwan. Twenty-eight countries in Europe, too, are having elections, including the European Union, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the UK. Finally, four countries in Oceania, namely Australia.
Sixty-five countries or nearly 50% of the world’s population will be voting in these national elections. More than ever before in history. Many of these countries are in conflict with one another or dealing with internal turmoil. The outcome of these elections will have a far-reaching significance for the future of our world, our children and grandchildren.
Added to all this, climate change is gnawing ferociously at our heels. As healthcare providers, we should be alarmed at what is coming our way. For, much like the flood in the above scenario, the tidal wave of the sick and injured is already overwhelming many of our colleagues, in the Middle East, Africa, Pacific Islands, and our own cities with the homeless, displaced, and simply poor. We are living on the edge of disaster. It behooves us to heed and prepare.

At the end of a period of volunteer work on a Caribbean Island, a while back, I hitched a ride back on a small plane belonging to a pilot friend on that island. While boarding, I noticed that the plane looked heavily loaded. Concerned, I asked him about it.
“No,” he said confidently. “Even with the two of us, we are still way within limits.” 
I had flown this very plane several times and trusted it to be in good shape. Still? On roll-out, the plane was sluggish on acceleration. As the end of the runway approached, I had an idea; “let’s use ten degrees of flap!” The flaps helped and we climbed out of there.
The reason for the plane’s heavy weight was the many sacks of breadfruit we were carrying for emigrants from our island. If you are grown up eating it, you may crave it, and will pay handsomely for it. So, the existing market and my friend's export of it. We made stops in Montserrat, the Virgin Islands, and finally, Puerto Rico. Dropping off sacks of breadfruit.
I was reminded of this event when I was reading the article; Hunting for 'Disease X', by Sam Kiley, CNN, back in December 2020. [The following excerpts are from that article:]
The article talks about how diseases like yellow fever, influenza, rabies, brucellosis and Lyme disease pass to humans, through a rodent or an insect. HIV, for example, emerged from chimpanzee, SARS, MERS and the Covid-19 virus from unknown "reservoirs"
Experts say the rising number of emerging viruses is largely the result of ecological destruction and wildlife trade. As their natural habitats disappear, animals like rats, bats, and insects survive where larger animals get wiped out. They're able to live alongside human beings and can carry new diseases to humans.
For example, bushmeat (game meat of the jungle) is the traditional source of protein for people living in the rain forests, but it is now exported globally to the Americas and Europe."  "Disease X" may be ticking away inside any one of these animals.
Similarly, in an article by Tiffany Yesavage, PhD, in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, last week (2/1/24); “Antimicrobial Resistance Multiple Threats”, she talks about the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance diseases. How, many of these pathogens are developing ways to resist our drugs.
For example: “… Neisseria gonorrhea, the bacterium responsible for gonorrhea, is now showing resistance to many antibiotics. It has developed multiple decoy mechanisms to evade the immune system. For example, it exhibits significant variation in the antigens on its surface proteins and can easily alter its surface structure during infection.”
 
Some pharmaceutical manufacturers are still working on cures; however, their numbers are dwindling due to economic factors. Check out this fascinating article on genengnews (dot) com
 
So, between population growth, environmental degradation, economic incentives and disincentive, etc. we may be fighting a losing battle. Even many innocent actions may have dire consequences in this very mobile and confusing environment. Much like my pilot friend, innocently, potentially carrying unknown pathogens across borders in something as innocuous as breadfruit.
We should be warned that “If you go in the forest ... you will change the ecology, and insects and rats will leave this place and come to the villages bringing new pathogens. The solution is clear. Protect the forests to protect humanity - because Mother Nature has deadly weapons in her armory.”