Public Health
Individual Disarmament - Public Health
Light guns cause crises in public health, because:
• Light guns cause about 1,000,000 deaths and much more injuries every year
• Injuries caused by light guns bring a burden on hospitals and other medical institutions and acts of injuring and killing by light guns prevent provision of health service
• Fuel conflicts carried out by light guns that cause forced migration of people, epidemics and psychological traumas occur
Light guns bring out significant public health issues that cause deaths, injuries, mutilations, mental health issues, psychological injuries caused by fear and trauma. Light guns cause 300,000 deaths in conflict areas and 700,000 civilian deaths in non-conflict areas each year. Every minute, a person dies because of the use of the light guns. Firearms are the most significant reason for lethal injuries persons over age of 14 in South Africa. 28,000 persons are killed by light guns annually in United States; this includes 16,500 suicides and 11,000 homicides. Sexual violence by guns brings a high level of risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Conflicts carried out by light guns increase domestic migration, and thus help spreading of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, bubonic plague and AIDS and push the limits of medical supplies. In many conflict areas, roads used for transport of food and medical supplies are damaged and sanitary and water treatment systems are broken, and this has caused cholera and other diseases. Armed groups usually target medical workers, hospitals, ambulances and clinics.
Light guns may prevent provision of health services including the consumption of the local blood procurement so that it causes life-threatening results. Injuries by gun require intensive medical care and this brings great pressure on public (and private) health institutions. For each person killed by light guns, three persons are injured more seriously; in fact, injury rate is ten times higher than by death by guns in Brazil.
Economical cost of injuries by light guns is also high. Cost of injuries by guns is estimated to be 5 billion US $ in Canada. Medical cost per injury by firearms is estimated to be 17,000 US $ in United States. However, real cost of proliferation of light guns extend from medical care of victims and their families to the rehabilitation programs and psychological support programs. Pressure on public health system pushes beyond the capacities of the governments in the developing world where resources are limited and infrastructure is inadequate. Proliferation of light guns also caused that governments focus their greater effort on defense and safety precautions, and this forced them to allocate much less resources for the effects of gun violence on health.
• Light guns cause about 1,000,000 deaths and much more injuries every year
• Injuries caused by light guns bring a burden on hospitals and other medical institutions and acts of injuring and killing by light guns prevent provision of health service
• Fuel conflicts carried out by light guns that cause forced migration of people, epidemics and psychological traumas occur
Light guns bring out significant public health issues that cause deaths, injuries, mutilations, mental health issues, psychological injuries caused by fear and trauma. Light guns cause 300,000 deaths in conflict areas and 700,000 civilian deaths in non-conflict areas each year. Every minute, a person dies because of the use of the light guns. Firearms are the most significant reason for lethal injuries persons over age of 14 in South Africa. 28,000 persons are killed by light guns annually in United States; this includes 16,500 suicides and 11,000 homicides. Sexual violence by guns brings a high level of risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Conflicts carried out by light guns increase domestic migration, and thus help spreading of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, bubonic plague and AIDS and push the limits of medical supplies. In many conflict areas, roads used for transport of food and medical supplies are damaged and sanitary and water treatment systems are broken, and this has caused cholera and other diseases. Armed groups usually target medical workers, hospitals, ambulances and clinics.
Light guns may prevent provision of health services including the consumption of the local blood procurement so that it causes life-threatening results. Injuries by gun require intensive medical care and this brings great pressure on public (and private) health institutions. For each person killed by light guns, three persons are injured more seriously; in fact, injury rate is ten times higher than by death by guns in Brazil.
Economical cost of injuries by light guns is also high. Cost of injuries by guns is estimated to be 5 billion US $ in Canada. Medical cost per injury by firearms is estimated to be 17,000 US $ in United States. However, real cost of proliferation of light guns extend from medical care of victims and their families to the rehabilitation programs and psychological support programs. Pressure on public health system pushes beyond the capacities of the governments in the developing world where resources are limited and infrastructure is inadequate. Proliferation of light guns also caused that governments focus their greater effort on defense and safety precautions, and this forced them to allocate much less resources for the effects of gun violence on health.