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April 7 of each year marks the celebration of World Health Day. From its inception at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since taking effect in 1950, the celebration has aimed to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization (WHO)…

World Health Day 2022 is focused on the central premise: “Our Planet, Our Health”, with the WHO posing these distinct questions:

  1. Are we able to reimagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all?
  2. Where economies are focused on health and wellbeing?
  3. Where cities are livable and people have control over their health and the health of the planet?

What are the issues currently facing the world?

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7th April. Vector illustration design

The world is still in the midst of a pandemic, the planet’s atmosphere is becoming more polluted every day, diseases like cancer, asthma and heart disease are on the rise. With these problems still affecting people all over the world, it’s imperative that awareness is increased, and action is implemented.

Indeed, the WHO’s position is that the world’s political, social and commercial decisions are entirely to blame for the world’s climate and health crisis. According to their research:

  • 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from burning of fossil fuels.
  • An ever-warming world is seeing mosquitos spread diseases farther and faster than ever before.
  • Extreme weather events, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and affecting their health.
  • Pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans, the highest mountains, and have made their way into our food chain.
  • Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease while generating a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

What does the WHO recommend?

young volunteers with green recycling boxes after cleaning park

To help curtail the impact of climate change on people’s health throughout the world and to improve the quality of people’s health more generally, the WHO recommends a series of actions for individuals, corporations and governments.

Individuals: 

  • Share your story: our planet, our health.
  • Raise your voice and demand climate actions to protect your health.
  • Take action, inspire others – join the five-point plan:
  • Walk or pedal to work at least one day a week. Choose public transport.
  • Change to a renewable energy provider; don’t heat your home over 21.5C; turn off the light when not in the room.
  • Buy your fresh groceries from local producers and avoid highly processed foods and beverages.
  • Tobacco is a killer and a polluter. Stop consuming tobacco.
  • Buy less plastic; use recyclable grocery bags.

Corporations: 

  • Switch off lights after working hours.
  • Support remote working when possible.
  • Remove highly processed and packaged foods from the workplace.
  • Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of your activities.
  • Ensure safe water is accessible for workers.

Governments: 

  • Prioritise long-term human wellbeing and ecological stability in all decision-making.
  • Prioritise wellbeing in all businesses, organisations, social and ecological goals.
  • Keep fossil fuels in the ground. Stop new fossil fuel exploration and projects and implement clean energy policies for production and use.
  • Stop fossil fuel subsidies. Re-invest fossil fuel subsidies in public health.
  • Tax the polluters. Incentivise carbon reduction.
  • Implement the WHO air quality guidelines.
  • Power health care facilities with renewable energies.

Ultimately, World Health Day is a reminder that there’s still much that needs to be done to break the cycles of planetary destruction and worldwide health issues. The problem will continue to require legislative action, corporate reform and individuals to be supported and incentivised to make healthy and environmentally safer choices.

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