Hatred is a contagious disease, public health emergency threat and a determinant of health and peace

The world is witnessing an unprecedented, unparalleled, and exceptional upsurge in racism, discrimination, fear, incitement, hatred, and violence which present an existential global public health threat. It is a threat to the world's stability and peace. The prevalence of hatred is a pressing public safety and health issue that has serious effects on health and wellbeing. Hatred is an intense, destructive attitude. There is connection and relationship between hatred, violence heath, peace, and wellbeing. Its manifestations are, war, disease, violence, and cruelty, symptoms that compromise the health, welfare, and functioning of human beings, both at the individual and population level. 

No consensus on a definition of hatred that is scientific and comprehensive exists. There is as of yet not globally accepted, validated and reliable way to measure hatred in afflicted populations. This gap in the literature has also created difficulties in quantifying the economic cost of hatred and identifying markers to study its effect on the population’s health. 

Hatred can be conceptualized as an infectious disease and is the result of exposure. Hatred is contagious and crosses barriers and borders. It has been proved that hatred contributes to the burden of disease, death, and disability among individuals and communities. A significant portion of violence in the world is based on hatred of the other. People find so many reasons to hate one another: class, gender, authority, religion, skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, creed, customs, nationality, membership in a social group, political opinions, and physical attributes or imagined attributes. 

Preventive measures are essential to contain hatred. We must begin by closing the knowledge gap in the study of hatred as a contagious disease. We need to learn how to respond to this threat and its consequences on human health and stability. 

Our ability to comprehend the impacts of hatred can lead to the promotion and establishment of healthy, resilient communities and peace at the local and global levels. Improving our understanding of hatred, raise awareness of it as a disease, and develop better interventions related to hatred as public safety and public health concerns. A broader interdisciplinary discourse of comprehensive, holistic, multidisciplinary, collective, and collaborative research studies and actions relatedto confronting hatred as a communicable, contagious, and destructive disease, a public health emergency threat and the result of exposure. The use of public health approach to study hatred and the causal relationship of diseases.  Like traditionally known contagious diseases, hatred is initially triggered by a causal agent or from harmful exposure (Causal Relationship). 

Conclusion: Hatred is an intense, destructive attitude. Its manifestations are terrorism, war, disease, violence, and cruelty, symptoms that compromise the health, welfare, and functioning of human beings, both at the individual and population level. We must begin to close the knowledge gap in the study of hatred as a contagious disease. We need to learn how to respond to this threat and its consequences on human health and stability.

Prevention is urgently needed and to acknowledge hatred as a disease because of its impact on health and wellbeing. the limited health care resources. A central contribution of the current conceptualization of hatred as a disease is the recognition of this holistic approach.

UAntwerp, Cusanus Foundation and Zonta Club Antwerp join forces to support the mission 'Daughters for Life' of honorary doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish​During the presentation of the honorary degree to Palestinian physician Izzeldin Abuelaish, UAntwerp, together with the Cusanus Foundation and Zonta Club Antwerp, signed a cooperation agreement with the 'Daughters for Life' organization of Abuelaish. The goal? To give young women from the Middle East the opportunity to pursue a university education. Professor Abuelaish is a senior lecturer in Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (University of Toronto), and the first Palestinian doctor working in a hospital in Israel. On Tuesday, March 30, he was awarded the honorary Doctorate of General Merit at Antwerp University, in recognition, among other things, of his contributions to the empowerment of young women.Exceptional Palestinian physician

"His three daughters were killed in a raid by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2009," said Rector Herman Van Goethem. "Afterwards, he wrote the book 'I Shall Not Hate' and founded the 'Daughters for Life' foundation. Our honorary doctorate recognizes his contributions to empowering young women to become changemakers within their communities. The foundation gives young women the opportunity to receive a university education. After their education, they can help build a better world in the Middle East."

In addition to awarding an honorary doctorate to Izzeldin Abuelaish, the University of Antwerp also wants to actively participate in the professor's foundation. The UAntwerp University Fund set up the 'Fund Zonta Antwerp' in collaboration with the Zonta Club Antwerp. The service club has been a loyal partner of the Tutoraat project at the University of Antwerp for many years, in which students of the university guide students. "Our goal is to improve and strengthen the position of women in various areas of society. This is entirely in line with Professor Abuelaish's foundation," says chairwoman Martine de Clercq.ScholarshipsThe Cusanus Foundation, which promotes rapprochement and dialogue between religions, is also supporting the initiative. Through the UAntwerp University Fund, both organizations will cover the cost of scholarships for at least three young women from the Middle East.​In this video, rector Herman Van Goethem gives more explanation about the honorary doctorate.