The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vital role carried out by the environmental health workforce during these challenging times. The pandemic also brought the integral connection between environment, health, and economy.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Strengthening Environmental Health Systems for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity now and in the future.
The health of the environment is directly correlated with human nutrition. Nutrients coming from vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and root crops are grace under the provision of good soil from the nature. If soils no longer fertile enough for planting, the damage will multiply down from hunger, malnutrition, and worst extinction.
Environmental devastation, spike of population growth, and series of pollution across borders are few of the challenges that should be addressed.
Organization of Environmental Health differs significantly from one country to another and is influenced by the development and economic status of nations. In the Philippines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) took the step to lead and strongly advocate the rights and protection against the environment. There were already several laws approved pertaining to protection from the destruction of nature.
Ensuring the public’s health is a multifaceted challenge that requires expertise in more than just the health threats that comes with it. The country continues to experience increasing trend of severe weather occurrence and even foodborne illness outbreaks. Addressing environmental health issues including climate change, food safety and security, water and air quality, and the spread of air-borne diseases is one of the most important concerns every public health professionals should be dealing with currently.
The health of the environment is as crucial to the health of the living habitats that shelter to its abode. Raw materials and supplies are basically coming from the nature that sustain the everyday life and keep the living move forward. If the environment no longer able to generate necessities, all that dwells in it would suffer and could potentially wipe out human race.
World Environmental Health Day is celebrated every year not only to raise awareness of the profession and the health threats that need to be addressed, but as an opportunity for organizations across the world to closely work together and initiate events that encourage environmental health literacy for all. (Development Management Officer II (PNFP) Gwyn Y. Balaba/This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it./0963-1090-198)
References:
Care Our Earth: Promoting environmental sustainability and human health (2022). World Environmental Health Day 2022. Retrieved on 15 September 2022 from https://www.careourearth.com/world-environmental-health-day/
International Federation on Environmental Health (2022). World Environmental Health Day 26 September 2022. Retrieved on 15 September 2022 from https://www.ifeh.org/WEHD/
