Dr Vikas Sharma & Proloy Sankar
A famous quote cited by Mahatma Gandhi, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver”. The growing trend of civilization has instigated a question, ‘Is Our Planet Safe?’ Probably answer is a big No. The cons of this question have incited The World Health Organization (WHO) to commemorate a day every year, ‘World Health Day’ with a new theme.
It is a global health program celebrated in collaboration with related organizations on April 7 every year. First organized in 1948, the WHO evolved with an idea that it will prove to be an opportunity to draw worldwide attention in regards of global health. The World Health Assembly formed erstwhile in 1948 decided to celebrate every year since 1950, as the World Health Day. It is celebrated to mark the WHO’s founding and it offers an opportunity to draw worldwide attention to the major theme being importance to global health. Since then the theme has been acknowledged by various government and non government organizations to support the cause of public health issues. It is celebrated annually and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The World Health Day, being one of the 11 official global health campaigns of WHO, is also a sister concern of World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Week, Worlds Aids Day to name a few. This year amidst the ongoing pandemic, the theme of World Health Day is Our Planet, Our Health, the main aim being to foster well being in health sector, focusing on a healthy planet nurturing human health.
Every year, WHO chooses a unique theme to commemorate World Health Day. In era of the current pandemic, WHO has decided to focus this year on preserving the planet.
The theme being to present a unique opportunity for a green and healthy environment to foster a movement to create awareness focused on well being. Environmental risks arising out of air pollution, contaminated water, inadequate sanitation, risks owing to hazardous chemicals etc. have proved to be a burning risk for the planet more precisely the environment. Various new diseases have cropped up owing to the climate crisis. These threats are being compounded by governance negligence and legislative loop holes. However this year’s theme can be a powerful reminder and can instigate the population to look for sustainable environmental remedies. Furthermore, this day can contribute to evolve a world where all people including those living in situations of vulnerability, can live longer, happier and thrive.
The theme this year have raised a question, Are we able to re imagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all? Being a part of polluted environment and with an alarming rise in diseases namely cancer, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, the WHO has taken an initiative to foster the urgent need of actions pertaining to keeping humans and the planet healthy along with creating societies focused on well being. Statistics predict that above 13 million deaths every year are due to avoidable environmental crisis.
The ticking time bomb, the climate crisis is the single biggest health threat faced by humanity. An alarming rise in globalization and industrialization are the key players in climate and health crisis.
Medical statistics suggest that over 90 per cent of the population breathe unhealthy air resulting out of the burned fossil fuels.
The global heating due to climate change is witnessing faster breeding of mosquitoes and spreading of diseases the world have never witnessed before. Pollution owing to the use of plastics and entering the food chain have made it the biggest player in the climate crisis. Unhealthy foods are driving a wave of obesity, heart diseases and cancer. The Covid-19 pandemic has made us aware of the various inequities in our world along with weaknesses in all areas of our societies.
It has aroused the need for developing sustainable well being societies to sustain future generations without breaching ecological limits. Reframing the present economy is the need of hour as a substantial member of our population live below poverty line, but the growing industrialization to feed the hungry population has various detrimental effects on the climate more precisely the planet.
The modern economy should be designed to support the human well being and ecological sustainability as its sole goal.
Taking these points into consideration, well framed legislative laws need to be designed, which can promote sustainable environment and health. It arises, the need for various reforms which can support and incentivised healthy choices. So this year’s theme of the global World Health Day incites us to break the cycle of destruction to save our Mother Earth.
(The authors are from Division of Biochemistry, SKUAST-Jammu).