Celebrating World Environmental Health Day

You might have heard that your environment or surroundings significantly impact your life. Well, that isn't just illustrative. Your environment affects your health and well-being. Let's understand this with a real-life example. Gangnauli, a small village in Uttar Pradesh is home to around 5000 people. The town is just a distance of 180 km from the capital city of Delhi and has about a third of its population seriously ill. The individuals are struggling with a variety of ailments like stunted growth, cancer, liver concerns, and much more. 

About 71 people were killed in Gangnauli between 2013 and 2018 alone, according to a report by the National Green Tribunal NGT. According to the villagers, more and more people are affected by serious health concerns. 

In 2019, the NGT conducted an investigation, and they found water contamination to be the main reason behind the village's mass sickness. This village is one of the best examples to understand the relationship between environmental and human health.¹

World Environmental Health Day is a gentle reminder that people's wellness is linked to the wellness of their surroundings. 

A Healthy Environment Leads to Healthy People 

Maintaining a sustainable and healthy environment is nothing short of insurance for individuals' well-being. Here is how. 

According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme, titled Healthy Environment, Healthy People, environmental degradation, including air, water, and food, is responsible for no less than a quarter of the world's total burden of diseases.²

The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs emphasise that a healthy environment is essential for people to enjoy their fundamental human rights, like their rights to health, healthy food systems, and quality of life. 

World Environmental Health Day

World Environmental Health Day, observed on September 26th every year, aims to raise awareness about the correlation between environmental and human health. The day also highlights how addressing issues like water and air pollution, food safety, and waste management is important for public health. 

World Environmental Health Day allows people, government, and several institutions to collaborate and work. It encourages them to follow sustainable practices that can help improve environmental health and, ultimately, their wellness.

World Health Environment Day: History & Significance 

IFEH, or the International Federation of Environmental Health 2011, announces the celebration of World Environmental Health on 26 September every year. The motto behind the commemoration is to emphasise environmental health. 

The primary purpose behind observing this day was to raise awareness of environmental wellness and several related events. To ensure this, various workshops, conferences, and seminars are organised to impart environmental education to the youth. This helps the younger generation understand the causes of environmental concerns and the need to overcome them. Several events, like earth protection drives and health campaigns, are organised. 

Why World Health Environment Day?

Until now, you must know how the environment directly and indirectly impacts sustainable health and living. However, it's time to get more real if you know its intensity. Here are some alarming facts about the importance and interlinkage between the environment and your own well-being.

1. According to a Lancet Commission report, pollution led to around 9 million premature deaths in 2015. Further, following the recent updates in the data, pollution remains to cause 9 million deaths every year. This means 1 in every 6 deaths worldwide is caused by pollution, showcasing the relationship between pollution and health.
2. Factors like rapid industrialisation, uncontrolled population growth and urbanisation, etc drive modern pollution by 66%.³
3. Water pollution led to around 1.4 million premature deaths.
4. Around 6.7 million deaths in 2019 were caused by air pollution.
5. Around 600 million cases of foodborne illness are reported every year. Additionally, around 4,20,000 people die every year using contaminated food, highlighting the importance of food safety.
6. Around 3.6 million are affected by climate change. The same will cause around 2,50,00 additional deaths between 2030 and 2050.⁵

World Environment Health Day 2024 Theme

The IFEH announces a theme for World Environmental Health Day every year, calling on people and governments to work together to improve our surroundings. 

World Environment Health Day, 2024's theme is: “Environmental Health: Creating Resilient Communities through Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation”. Climate change and disaster risks are one of the major challenges to human health.

The worst part about climate change is that it affects society in three ways: by damaging the physical environment, affecting human health, and hindering human progress. 

Climate change affects each aspect of health, showing the dominant relationship between climate change and health. From clean air to contaminated water, soil pollution to extreme weather events, climate change leads to each of these health risks. 

Climate change's impact on health is multifaceted. It causes death and sickness from extreme weather events, such as floods, health waves, and more. Further, it obstructs the social factors of good health like equality and access to health care. Vulnerable and disadvantaged are at greater risk of climate threats. 

Better Environment, Better Living Campaigns 

World Environmental Health Day is not limited to spreading awareness. It is also about taking reasonable measures to help your environment and yourself. Here are some easy and mindful ways that you may celebrate the Environmental Health Day:

1. Improve food safety by eating sustainably and mindfully. 
2. Consider environmentally friendly clothing made from responsible materials like cotton, linen, khadi, etc. 
3. Consider eco-friendly living. You can do this by making small efforts like switching to biodegradable items, composting food waste, having a water-harvesting system, using gentler cleaning solutions, etc. 
4. Plant more trees. You may have your mini garden in the kitchen or the balcony. 
5. You may participate in clean-up drives and show your support for preventing pollution and healthy living. 
6. Consider reading about and being aware of the clean air initiatives launched by the government of India. This includes programmes like the National Clean Air programme to improve air quality in 131 cities. It has measures like regulating vehicular emissions, promoting electric vehicles, monitoring air quality, and so on.
7. The Government of India has also launched a variety of clean water campaigns like Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Atal Bhujan Yojana, National Rural Drinking Water Programme, and more. 

By engaging in these activities, you show your support for the green planet and green health. 

Wrapping Up! 

Making the environment happy and healthy is one of the best and most effective ways to improve life and life expectancy. Proper environmental justice ensures easy access to clean water, air, and food. Further, it improves mental health while reducing the chances of infections and environmental-led illness.

We at Care Health Insurance support eco-friendly living and environmental health. We urge authorities and stakeholders to take appropriate measures for environmental safety and well-being. 

Further, to ensure your safety against illness caused by environmental or other factors, consider ensuring yourself. Care Health Insurance offers a variety of plans, from individual to family health insurance. With a comprehensive range of plans, we have something for everyone. From Cancer insurance and Heart mediclaim to Maternity Health Insurance and Insurance for Diabetics, you ensure to safeguard your financial backing in case of any health emergency. 

>> Also Read: Physical Environment and Its Impact on Our Health

Disclaimers: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.