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OUR PLANET - OUR HEALTH
THINK GLOBALLY — ACT LOCALLY
THE NEW RAHU — ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
JU
'
'
World health day
DIRECTORATE OF HEALTH
(STATE HEALTH EDUCATION BUREAU)
Govt.,qf Andhra Pradesh
PEOPLE’S INFORMATION CENTRE
3-5-273
Vittalwadi,
H y d e r a b a d - 500 029.
COMMUNITY HEALT”
'
4-7M
DR. HIROSHI NAKAJIMA, m d„ pd.d.
Director General,
World Health Organisation,
Geneva.
JVtessage
It is now increasingly evident that more and more diseases
stem from the degradation caused by man to his own environment.
The potential harmful effects of industrial development on our global
ecosystem are now better known. Ozone layer depletion, acid rain,
climate change, chemical pollution are some examples of the man
made wounds to our planet.
We are at a turning point; warnings of the damage to our
health and quality of life are growing louder. An increasing number
of people are acting to stop the degradation of our environment.
As Director General of the World Health Organisation, 1
have chosen the theme of Environment and Health for World Health
Day, 7 April 1990.
WHO intends to spotlight the measures that individuals,
communities and nations can and must undertake to halt further
deterioration of the health of our planet. Our own health and that
of future generations depends on it.
I make a solemn appeal for solidarity among industrialized
and developing countries.
We must find viable options for
sustainable development and to protect health everywhere on our
planet.
Decisions taken by one country can have repercussions not only
for its neighbours, but for all countries of the world.
On the occasion of World Health Day I invite the Member
States of WHO, governmental and nongovernmental organizations
and all concerned with the well-being of the world, to embark on an
awareness campaign. We must alert everyone to the dangers of an
unhealthy environment and to measures they must take to avert them.
Sd/-
2^.. dl'i&iJ'il Jlakajlma
DR U KO KO
Regional Director,
WHO South East Asia Region
JVtessage
Never before in the history of the human race has mankind
faced the kind of ecological dangers that it is now confronted with.
Population explosion, uncontrolled urbanization and industrialization
have brought in their wake widespread pollution of air, water and
land as well as deforestation, desertification, accidents involving
chemicals, and the danger of extinction of some plant and animal
species. In the name of progress, man seems to have thrown caution
to the winds. All that matters is the perceived benefit in the short
term
Fortunately, since these problems are largely man-made,
there are workable solutions at hand as well. But these can be
arrived at only through coordinated global actions However, the
message for an urgent solution is loud and clear : Unless something
is done Now, there may as well be no tomorrow.
Numerous reports by Commissions and environmentalists
have clearly highlighted the need for international concerted action
to stem the tide that seems all set to engulf the world. It is to
uderscore, once again, the very direct links between man and his
environment that WHO has chosen environment and health as its
theme for World Health Day this year.
The increase in air and water pollution, giving rise to the
greenhouse effect, depletion of the ozone layer, rising sea level,
respiratory and water-borne diseases, and the host of other
problems related to rapid urbanization and industrialization need
urgent action, not so much to undo the harm that has already been
done, but to prevent further damage to the world's ecosystem.
As the Director-General of the World Health Organization,
Dr. Hiroshi Nakajima has said, "We must alert everyone to the
dangers of an unhealthy environment and to measures they must
take to avert them."
I am confident that World Health Day this year will help us to
realize how closely interwoven is the health of our planet and our
own, and to take appropriate actions to improve health and
preserve mankind.
Sdl~
2)-I M /Co /Co
Raj Bhavan
HYDERABAD
IISHAN KANT
wernor of Andhra Pradesh
Dated 6-4-1990
JYIessage
The World Health Day is being observed on the 7th of
April, 1990. The theme-focus this year by the World Health
Organisation is "OUR
PLANET, OUR HEATH : THINK
GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY".
Our Planet, the Earth, and its very existence is being
endangered as a result of the pollution of the atmosphere,
the waters and the environment affecting the Balance of
Nature. As a result of the 'Green House Effect the Earth is
reported to be warming up and if this process continues as
a result of the pollutants that is the so-called green house
gases such as Carbon-dioxide, Methane, Chlorofluorocarbons,
the Earth's temperature may get raised by 5 to 8 degrees over
the next few centuries resulting in droughts, the raising of
the sea level, the flooding of the Earth and extensive damage
by killer-cyclones etc. It is, therefore, necessary that Man
kind should think globally to act in unison quickly and
implement these plans locally co-ordinating human efforts at
various
national
levels to stop global
degradation.
Programmes such as afforestation. Conservation of forests
and wild life and such other programmes have to be planned
and implemented to maintain the ecological balance of
Nature. Such positive planning and immediate action alone
will save the Earth and ensure human beings and our posterity
to live happily and in good health in the Future.
I wish the Peoples Information Centre, the Directorate
of Medical and Health Services and the Governament of
Andhra Pradesh, all success in their efforts to create
greater awareness towards this
pressing
problem of
safeguarding Our Planet and Our Health.
Sd/~
/C'lli.l'ian.
DR. M. CHANNA REDDY
HYDERABAD
Chief Minister.
Govt, of Andhra Pradesh
Dated 5-4-1990
JVtessage
I am indeed happy to learn that the Directorate
of Medical and Health Services and Peoples Information
Centre are jointly organising the World Health Day
Celebrations.
The problem of environmental pollution is
assuming serious proportions in these days and the large
scale usage of pesticides has lead to increasing ill effects
on human health. Population explosion is one of the
reasons causing all these problems.
I wish the World Health Day Celebrations all
success.
Sd/-
24. M. CI'ixu'iM.a Reddy
NALLAPAREDDI SRINIVASUL REDDI
HYDERABAD
Minister for Roads & Buildings, Mines,
Medical & Health, Govt, of A. P.
JVtessage
The World Health Organisation has very obviously selected the
theme ' Our Planet, Our Health — Think Globally; Act locally" for this
year's World Health Day Celebrations as our planet is being
threatended because of increasing environmental degradation. We
must halt this degradation before it is too late.
Scientists have reported that the temperature is rising and that
there is a depletion in the Ozone layer. The level of Carbondioxide is
increasing. The soil, water and air are getting polluted and the high
noise level is causing considerable damage.
Because of large scale
deforestation, owing to pressure on available land, not only human
beings but also animals are suffering.
The World Health Organisation has done well to highlight the
dangers that ensue because of the degradation of the environment.
Very rightly it has pointed out that local actions influence the people all
over the world. Scientists of a particular country may invent weapons
which are capable of destroying several countries. We must think of
the repercussions that might be caused all over the country and the
world because of the actions that we might initiate in one place.
I am happy to note that environmentalists have begun to tell
others the hazards that are caused by the wrong exploitation of nature's
resources.
I am sure that the Peoples Information Centre and the voluntary
organisations would continue to step up their efforts in creating
awareness among the people of the health hazards caused by ecological
imbalances.
I wish the celebrations all success.
Sd/-
/\/aUap.a'te.ddl
Qeddi.
HYDERABAD
S. K. ARORA, I.A.S.
Secretary to Government
Health, Medical and
Family Welfare Department
Date 3-3-1990
JVIessage
The World Health Organisation has chosen “Our Planet,
Our Health-Think Globally, Act Locally” as this year’s theme for
the Wotld Health Day celebrations. It highlights the need to create
awareness about the role environment plays in our lives and the
efforts one should take locally to see the people all over the
globe are not exposed to dangers.
One of the prime concerns of mankind should be the ways
in which human communities have increasingly mismanaged their
relationships with the non-human components of the environment
to the detriment not only of species and ecosystems but of the
ability of the environment itself, regionally and globally, to
respond to the needs of its most complex and highly developed
form of life-mankind itself. Since man himself is the prime source
of environmental degradation and its prime victim, greater
attention must be bestowed to the quality of man's surroundings.
While governmental intervention is necessary to preserve
ecology and prevent environmental degradation, non-Governmental efforts would be more useful in focussing attention to the
problems that arise from the harmful effects of wrongful or overexploitation of the bounties that nature has provided to us. I am
happy that a voluntary organisation, the Peoples Information
Centre, is playing a useful role in supplementing the work of the
Government in the field of health education.
Sd/-
K. /hoia
HYDERABAD
DR. G.V.S. NAGABHUSHANA RAO
Director of Health,
Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad.
JVtessage
The celebration of the World Health Day on the 7th April with
a new theme every year serves a unique purpose of highlighting an
important problem relating to public health with a view to focusing
the attention of all concerned on an issue in a bid to preparing them
for concerted action for its mitigation.
The intensity of the activities and the tempo generated during
the World Health Day celebrations go a long way in creating
awareness.
They lead to the evalution of the problem and
implementation of various remedial measures.
This year's World Health Day theme relates to health of
individuals vis-a-vis their environment. It is needless to point out that
the problem of environmental pollution has reached an alarming
proposition today. We are faced with many hazards posed by
degraded environment, which are unfortunately an offshoot of
technological and industrial advancement. This paradoxical situation
needs to be talkled effectively, failing which the very survival of
human race on our planet is threatened.
The success of any programme which requires involvement of
the people in large numbers invariably requires the involvement
of multiple agencies in its execution. It is here that the need of
voluntary and service organisations is felt very much.
Such
institutions play a crucial role in the accomplishment of the task.
1 am very happy to note that the people's Information Centre,
Hyderabad has been rendering commendable service for the
dissemination of knowledge on health to the people. I wish all
success to the organisation in its future pursuits in this sphere of
activity.
Sd/-
Q. V.
J)'ag.aU'tnd-ltakia, Raa
DR. U. BRAHMAJI RAO
Hyderabad
Director of Medical Education,
Andhra Pradesh
Dated 30-3-1990
JVtessage
The 23rd World Health Day is being celebrated with
the Theme —"OUR PL/THET, OUR HEALTH-THINK
GLOBALLY. OCT LOCHLLY”. The limited natural
resources available to humanity on this planet are being
ravaged by the foolishness of the mankind. To add insult to
injury, there is pollution of atmosphere, water and
contamination of food materials. Unless this depredation is
stopped and we switch over to the resources like sun-light,
the future for mankind is not too bright. I wish all success
to the deliberations of the World Health Day.
Sd/-
'U. fyial'imajl Qao-
Safe Environment Needed
It is no exaggeration to say that one of the few unifying factors in
today's world, cutting across social and political systems, religions,
continents and nations, is a growing concern for environmental health and
protection of the Earth.
It was only in the second half of this century that it dawned on us that
Development with a capital D has two faces : nations and individuals may
become richer, but factories and cars spell environmental danger. The
world-wide "green” movement is evolving very rapidly from a fringe faction
into a major force on the international scene. There is a very good reason
for this. Not only the quality of life but, in the long-run, the very survival of
the species depends on safeguarding our planet. Global environmental
problems seem to be taking over from nuclear war fears as the world's
biggest headache.
The human population reached its first 1,000 million early in the
nineteenth century and has never looked back. Today, we number 5,000
million plus, and it is predicted that by the Year 2000 we will have chalked
up another 1000 million. Behind these dry statistics are individual lives, filed
in official report under such euphemisms as “living in deprived conditions".
The World Bank defines 800 million people as “the absolute poor” — the
equivalent of the total populations of the USSR, the United States and the
whole of Western Europe. We can only guess how many millions today all
over the globe endure a precarious existence in shanty towns, inner city
slums, refugee camps and squatter settlements. Their “planet" is a long,
long way from being a healthy one. The lack of safe water and sanitation
encourages a host of diseases — typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, poliomyelitis,
dysentry, amoebiasis.
The fuels burned in the hearth by about half of the world’s population
as the major source of domestic energy result in between 400 and 500 million
people suffering from severe indoor air pollution. Scarce food, over
crowding, perpetual stress and alienation create fertile conditions for severe
mental health problems. Suicide is no stranger in the slums.
The urban poor are caught between the “devil" of industrialisation
and the "deep blue sea" of under-development; and added to their already
crippling burden of infections disease and malnutrition is a new set of noncommunicable diseases commonly associated with hasty industrialisation and
the indiscriminate use of chemicals.
For the owerwhelming majority of them proper housing, piped water,
facilities for the removal of household and human wastes, all-weather access
roads, as well as health care and education services have a distinctly utopian
ring to them. Trapped in the obscure dead-end of the city slums, generation
upon generation are stoicly eking out a kind of living.
Malnutrition, that eternal sign of poverty, is one of the most persistent
of the health problems of the urban poor. According to WHO, “the energy
and protein intakes of some 145 million children under five years old are
insufficient." Not merely the shortage of food is to blame but much more
complex problems including “inadequate preparation and storage of food,
lack of knowledge about nutritional needs in infancy and in childhood and
the effects of repeated infectious diseases." In addition, the breakdown of
the traditional extended family in urban settlements directly affects the
quality and quantity of child care. According to the U.N. data, in Latin
American and the Caribbean alone there are 40 million children living on the
streets.
Unsafe Water
Water is essential to life. It is also a major medium for desease
transmission including typhoid and cholera. People from the industrialized
North for whom diarrhoea is just an unpleasant holiday experience find it
hard to grasp that in the Third World five million children die every year
from diarrhoeal diseases. The major villain of this global tragedy is unsafe
water.
The sheer scale of water-borne diseases is truly staggering. Poliomy
elitis, guinea-worm infection and malaria, are just a few of the more
commonly known ones. The bad news is that, throughout the tropics, matters
are getting worse, not better. Malaria and other vector borne diseases
previously confined to the counryside have followed the rural-to-urban
migrants and found ideal breeding grounds in the city slums. Emergence of
urban malaria is yet another vivid example of the fact that developing
countries’ populations are much more exposed, not only to the elements, but
even more so to a whole host of maladies which can be called diseases of
poverty.
The ultimate irony is that, not uncommonly, slum residents have to pay
heavily for dubious water brought by street vendors while nearby wealthier
neighbours are sprinkling their lawns at a rate of 200 gallons per hour.
In the countryside itself all is not well. Over-intensive agricultural
production has dumped potentially dangerous levels of nitrates and other
chemicals into the soil and thence into the water. High-yield harvests can
only be sustained by covering plants and soil with ever greater amounts of
fertilizers and pesticides. Meanwhile, weeds and insects are developing
resistance to these chemicals, thus defeating the multi-million dollar efforts
that go into research and production of commercial pesticides.
The agricultural sector in developing countries is geared predomin
antly to local needs. There are some notable exceptions, however, in the
2
form of traditional export crops such as coffee or cotton. These gobble up
the lion’s share of the pesticides which reach the developing countriesmerely one-fifth of the global production.
Unintentional poisoning occurs frequently when people handle
pesticides without proper precautions or knowledge about the hazards
involved. Recently WHO said that " — our estimates show that the vast
majority of acute poisonings occur in an 'endemic' manner in many
developing countries, with little attention being paid by the local public
health researchers". Harmful residues regularly spill over into foodstuffs
and water sources.
Pollution
Unfortunately, chemical transformations, whether through combustion
or from the deliberate release of substances such as agro chemicals, almost
invariably cause environmental pollution. Few such pollutants are measured
on a regular basis in too few places around the world. Developing countries
rarely have adequate facilities to do this, since it often requires sophisticated
equipment as well as trained personnel. Serious financial considerations
have even forced some countries to sell off land sites on their territories for
the dumping of other countries' toxic wastes.
One major source of urban air pollution in the industrialized countries
is the automobile, now an indellible part of modern culture. Awakening of
the environmental consciousness has forced first scientists and then the
public at large to take a more critical look at the motor - car. It has been
found guilty on all counts. Lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides — all
these share the blame for blackening the outsides of city buildings and the
insides of city dwellers.
The direct link between quality of environment and quality of public
health is now imprinted on the public's mind more vividly than ever before.
Slowly but surely, a chain reaction of environmental awareness has started.
Today many newspapers routinely provide their readers with the local air
pollution update, specifying "dirtier” districts. Attempts are being made to
reduce the harmful pollutants emitted by cars; running them on lead-free
petrol, or fitting them with catalyzers to reduce the output of carbon
monoxide are two of the possibilities. It is difficult to get unanimity about
what anti-pollution measures will work best.
What about countries with a lesser standard of living ? Do they stand
any chance of avoiding the pitfalls along the road to development ? Well,
up to a point. The multi-coloured quilt of the Third World does not lend
itself to one single monochrome solution; what is the norm in Rio de Janeiro
may not necessarily be perceived as such in Hyderabad. Even within
countries themselves there are tremendovs regional differences. Obviously
an industrial area packed with smelters, power stations or steel plants will
emit into the atmosphere far more harmful chemicals than a rural one making
3
do with subsistence farming. Local topography and meteorological
conditions, even sunlight itself, have roles to play in the intricate interplay of
airborne pollutants which results in "photochemical smog", wrapping cities
in a blanket of choking haze.
WHO, together with the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), keeps a
permanent check on air pollution levels through its 170 monitoring sites
scattered around the globe. Energy production and consumption are
routinely blamed for air pollution. And rightly so But to suppose that such
environmentally clean alternative sources of energy as solar power and wind
power will soon overtake the burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil) would be
merely wishful thinking. The nuclear power industry is making a come-back
in some countries, but its image has been badly dented by accidents and
levels of radioactive materials.
The latest WHO data show that 625 million people live in urban areas
whose average levels of sulphur dioxide in the air are unacceptably high. In
fact, sulphur dioxide emissions worldwide are notching up four per cent per
year, which is in line with the increase in world energy consumption. For city
dwellers, this means severe effects on the respiratory tract, while extremely
high concentrations can be lethal. Meanwhile acid rain results in the defoli
ation and death of trees, the pollution of lakes which kills off the creatures
that live in them, and the infiltration of chemicals into the soil and ground
water sources. Acid rain knows no intercountry boundaries, and can be carried
by the prevailing winds for hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from the point
of origin. The world has come a long way from the pristine air of the Garden
of Eden to the Convention on Long-Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution. A
brownish layer of Sahara Desert dust which from time to time blankets a large
part of Western Europe serves as a vivid example of the long-range action of
airborne particles. According to WHO, 1,250 million people unwittingly suffer
from too high levels of this pollutant compound, usually much more complex
in composition than "pure Sahara dust", it is mostly made up of the by-pro
ducts of fossil fuel combustion and other industrial activities.
The global air pollution trends clearly show the determination of the
industrialized North to reverse the negative course. The last decade saw the
decline in sulphur dioxide levels at an annual rate of approximately 5 per cent
while, for instance, the Asian developing countries economic build-up is
being accompanied by an annual 10 per cent increase So behind the benign
Dr Jekyll of industrialization lurks the sinister Mr Hyde of pollution.
Not Enough Trees
Another character with a dubious reputation is carbon dioxide, released
in the process of fossil fuel combustion. Plants and oceans have a sponge-like
capacity for absorbing corbon dioxide. But in the course of the 20th century
the natural equilibrium was disrupted by a gargantuan boost in energy con
sumption which increased 12-fold between 1900 and 1986 The world’s soaring
population felled more and more trees, and destroyed more and more forests,
4
for industrial and agricultural actvities as well as household needs. There
were simply not enough trees to help in digesting the "excess amounts" of
carbon dioxide.
The global greenhouse effect started to take shape. A powerful boost to
the process was provided by science and technology. Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs in scientific shorthand) is a long word worth remembering. These are
multipurpose chemicals which have made themselves useful as coolants in
refrigerators and as prepellant gases for aerosol cans. They are widely used
in electronics and in plastic-foam materials------for instance in "fast food"
containers. Whenever a burger holder is broken, CFCs are set free. At this
point they are becoming a menace to the environment for the next 70 to 100
years. Not only do they contribute to the green house effect, they also eat
away the vital ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, which protects all inhabi
tants of the Earth from the dangers of ultraviolet radiation. These rays are
powerful enough to damage living cells ; apart from causing sunburn, they
are thought to be largely responsible for the steady increase in the incidence
of skin cancers throughout the world.
Global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer could prove to be
calamities of the worst kind ever to have visited the Earth in the course of
recorded history. If the overall temperature rises, the polar ice caps will
start to melt and in turn the level of the world ocean will rise. Countries
lying close to sea level will be, literally, in deep trouble. Defences against
ocean tides will wipe out decades of economic "development". The global
agricultural pattern will be disturbed, threatening the already badly strained
food supply system. Some areas further North, for example Siberia, will have
rural agro-industry, but the Sahara Desert will march North ! Tropical diseases'
areas might as well be shifting their geographical position.
It is an Apocalyptical vision-but one that is of mankind’s own making,
unlike whatever cataclysm it was that caused the dinosaurs to vanish. The
bad news is that, in one form or another, global climate change is coming.
The good news is that we know about it and can and must benefit from that
knowledge. Every little effort helps I
As we move into the last decade of the century, environmental issues
are taking on a new importance on the world's agenda. Back in the 17th
century the English poet, John Donne, wrote ; "No man is an island entire of
itself". Today we can add "No country is an island entire of itself”. We are
all under a cloud, and it is a cloud of our own making.
(Courtesy :
World Health Organisation)
5
Environment and Health
Let us take a closer look at the ways in which environment, for better
or worse, influences people's health.
Rural family lifestyle in developing countries is still geared to subsis
tence farming as it was generations ago. They live off the land, totally in the
hands of the merciless rain god, known in another culture as "the whether
man". Droughts, which plague vast areas with the devastating accuracy of a
metronome, will bring nothing but hunger and malnutrition. Paradoxically,
emergence of the cash cropping system---- t- that is crops raised for
exports-I---- can further jeopardize farmers' well-being instead of meeting
local needs. Heavy physical labour calls for high energy intakes, and a bale
of cotton can hardly provide a nutritious meal.
But even in "good" years environment is far from friendly. Statistics
are a notoriously tricky subject, but still, the fact that on average several
women spend two hours a day getting water for their household needs is tel
ling. But even more important is the water’s quality. It is simply not safe.
In one way or another it is the single most pervasive source of disease through
out the length and breadth of the developing world. The list is endless
from cholera to diarrhoea and every day is a gamble with human life at stake.
Arguably, there is nothing as difficult as changing cultural perceptions.
Too many people around the world still believe it is foolish to drink "cooked"
water. It is doubly foolish in their view to spend precious firewood fuel and
time on such a folly. Keeping animals under the same roof, drinking raw
water and milk — those cardinal errors, as seen through the eyes of
hygiene or food safety experts, are part of the local ways. Only through
patient culture-specific education can one hope to begin counter-balancing
those age-old practices - all part of the oral tradition of do’s and don'ts. The
price rural communities, however unwittingly, pay for clinging to the old
ways can be horrendous. Diarrhoeal diseases are implicated in the frighten
ing death toll of 5 million children every year. The overwhelming majority
of them are caused by unsafe water and lack of sanitation.
Air pollution is widely thought to be the industrialization's surcharge.
What about the 400-500 million people scattered throughout the vast rural
areas of the Third World suffering from it inside their mud and-thatch houses ?
Indoor air pollution is one of the top health-related problems closely follow
ing lack of safe water and sanitation in the catalogue of environmental health
woes of the Third World rural population.
6
Wood or dung kindled fires built over the three archetypal stones still
serve as the home fire for millions upon millions of our contemporaries.
Extended family undoubtedly has its advantages, but not when extended to
the limit and beyond. Overcrowding is a common feature not only in the
wasteland of inner city ghettos but in pastoral village settings as well. Without
proper ventilation, the chemical by-products of biomass combustion can be
exceptionally harmful, if not, lethal.
Biomass smoke is a classic case of mistaken identity. At first sight what
kind of mystery can there be in plain bonfire smoke ! However, highly sophis
ticated chemical analysis reveals literally hundreds of substances, including
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, many of which have been found to be car
cinogenic. Compared with fossil fuels such as coal, oil or natural gas,
biomass in the form of wood, agricultural waste and dung, account for a
modest 10% of global energy consumption by serving about two-thirds of the
world's population.
Suspended particulate matter, that seemingly permanent fixture of rural
life, comes in two "packages”: village dust, as old as the savanna itself, and
as intricate organic and inorganic substances created by biomass combustion.
There are recorded cases of the measured levels being 140 times higher than
WHO recommendations.
How does indoor air pollution correspond to public health? Surpri
singly, it was not long ago that those Links became the subject of scientific
research. Full dimensions of the problem are just taking shape. However,
it is possible even at this stage to single out without a shadow of a doubt the
following four major categories:
—
chronic lung disease
—
heart disease
—
lung cancer, among others
—
acute respiratory infections,
particularly in children
There are other not immediately recognizable health problems related
to biomass combustion. Quite often fuel is scarce and hard to come by, which
leads to too few hot meals and a tendency to switch to foods requiring little
or no heating at all. Maternal exposure to pollutants results in low birth
weight and infant ill-health. According to WHO, "(in developing countries)
exposure to biomass fuel emissions is probably the single most important
occupational health hazard to women".
Village dust and the smoke of cooking fires serve as a constant eye
irritant. Chronic lung diseases, including tuberculosis, habitually beseige
rural populations of the Third World, adding yet another burden to the impo
ssible "survival course" of every day existence. Those rare cases when
7
statistics are available, clearly show that mental health problems in the rural
belt of developing countries, although sadly ignored and unrecognized by
the media, flourish, fuelled by hunger and malnutrition, overcrowding and
national strife.
Illiteracy in the countryside continues to be visibly higher than in towns.
Its impact can be felt on the farm in the shape of pesticides abuse. After all,
not being able to read “how-to-use” instructions can be a matter of life and
death. We can only guess at the true dimensions of what statisticians dryly
call “unintentional poisonings".
Inspite of spectacular technological advances and scientific break
throughs achieved in the course of the century, the greater part of humanity
is still tightly anchored to the land as its only source of livelihood. No matter
how great the sheer numbers of the world's rural population, more often than
otherwise they are society's marginals without a vioice in high places.
That thin thread to the outside world — the mud roads accessible for a
few months in a year — is of no particular attraction for members of the medi
cal profession, as all-too-vividly illustrated by the statistics. There are
countries with merely two physicians per every 1,00,000 inhabitants. But it
does not mean that the gloom and doom school of thought should prevail. A
little learning and small scale projects at the village community level — rather
than multi-million high-tech hospitals for the elite in the capital — that's
what is really needed for people out there. That is where WHO's policy of
Primary Health Care comes in.
(Courtesy :
World Health Organisation)
JOIN
CONSUMER CARE CENTRE
City's Premier Consumer Organisation
3-5-273, VITTALWADI, NARAYANGUDA,
HYDERABAD-500 029.
8
Cities Under Siege
Historically, there is nothing new about country folks leaving behind
the poverty of the barren earth, packing their belongings and moving into
towns. After all, that is precisely how towns came about in the first place.
What is different in the 20th century is the sheer magnitude and speed of the
operation. All previous large-scale movements of people----- be it in time
of war or of peace----- pale into insignificance when compared with today’s
seemingly endless human flooding intourban centres, especially in deve
loping countries
In places as far apart as Mexico City and Jakarta, Lagos and Karachi, Hyd
erabad and Dakar, millions upon millions have been flocking towards the Fata
Morgana of the bright city lights. Health and social resources as well as lack
of insufficient foresight on the part of the city planners have done nothing to
ease the predicament of the newly-arrived. Theirs is not a red-carpet treat
ment to the bouncy beat of a brass band. Read carefully the following
sentence. "Although precise statistics are not available, over 100 million
people have no shelter at all, while around one billion lack an adequate
shelter." That was the conclusion reached by WHO in 1987 concerning both
urban and rural situations worldwide. Quite often illiterate, without any skills,
with just a pair of hands these newcomers are left out in the cold, receiving
few of the benefits of the city’s life.
Often enough, it is only by overstretching the imagination that one can
call their housing a home. Built from whatever materials are available, on
unsuitable land exposed to the elements, such constructions are the first to go
in a flood, an earthquake or a hurricane.
All these innumerable shanty towns are rarely taken care of in the
architectural blueprints and practically never in the budgets of economic
planners. These unsightly slums are among the "hidden costs" of develop
ment. Each important aspect of economic development creates unanticipated
environmental and health problems
Rapid urbanization in developing countries is happening not only be
cause of the exodus from the countryside, although 4,00,000 annual migrants to
Mexico City may be a good indicator of the scale of this trend. Persistently
high birth rates and an almost total lack of family planning services contribute
heavily to the burgeoning urban populations. In various countries throughout
the world, many children are seen as proof of a man’s virility and a woman’s
fertility. From time immemorial, children were looked upon in the extended
family as an investment for old age. However, the ruthless economics of the
slums dictate the rules of the game. If there are too many mouths to feed, the
children are often left to fend for themselves. It is estimated that in Latin
America and the Caribbean, there are 40 million children living on the streets.
9
Even for those who have a roof to call their own, life is far from being
a bed of roses. There is a direct link between poor housing and poor health.
Lack of proper sanitation, a faulty water supply if there is any, substandard
water quality, overcrowding, a total lack of privacy, poor indoor air ventila
tion, uncollected garbage, infestation by rats( flies and a whole host of other
disease-carriers----- these are the sad facts of everyday life in the "lost
cities", as slum areas are sometimes called. Routinely denied to the urban
poor engaged in the precarious business of day-to-day survival are all the
things that other people take absolutely for granted----- safe water supply,
plumbing, electricity, regular garbage collection, as well as social benefits
including public health services, schools, proper roads, public transport,
telephones lines.
The haves and have-nots share one Earth but in a strikingly different
manner. How does the other, the better-off half fare ? There is increasing
concern that at least some of the fruits of the post-industrial harvest are tur
ning sour. The internal combustion engine,arguably the single most important
technological break-through of the century to affect the human condition, has
been found guilty of polluting the environment. More cars mean more serious
air and noise pollution, and greater chances of a road accident.
And there are too many cars on the road Rush-hour traffic jams, twice
a day five times a week all the year round, contribute to the ever-worsening
air quality in big cities. On wet and damp days, urban areas are regularly
enveloped in a blanket of photochemical smog. Public health authorities have
even been known to recommend that people stay indoors rather than ventu
re outside. And for good reason. High concentrations of photochemical
smog are dangerous for the elderly, small children and pregnant women in
particular. It is hardly surprising that townspeople find they are breathing
differently in the countryside. But the ubiquitous internal combustion engine
is catching up with them even there. The painted walls of Mayan monuments
in Central America are rapidly deteriorating, "thanks" to the exhaust of
tourist buses that stand for hours in front of the stone structures with their
motors idling.
Municipal authorities find it more and more difficult to keep city centres
with their ancient buildings and monuments in reasonably good shape. Acid
rain does not make their job any easier. Quite on the contrary. Oxides of
sulphur and nitrogen from industrial and automobile gases undergoing a
chemical reaction with sunlight and moisture, fall to the ground in the form
of acid rain. If it eats its way into the stone, how harmful can it be for human
organism ? I
However, the city of Milan offers a good example of what can be
done by proper planning and energetic municipal actions. Some 7,50,000
cars pass every day through this city with its populatien of a million and
a half. Apart from fouling the air, they clog the transport arteries as
well and cause noise pollution and road accidents. So what can be done
to reduce the overwhelming flow of cars? The answer is to provide a
10
wall-run public transport system. The one in Milan features buses,
trams, trolley buses and underground trains. Passengers can hop freely
from one transport to another using a single ticket which costs them less
than one-third of its true value. If that is not an incentive to keep the car
at bay, then what is ?
It is no coincidence that Milan belongs to the network of "Healthy
Cities". The "Healthy Cities" project was initiated by WHO's European
Region four years ago but is catching on globally. Applications for member
ship are piling in from the Americas, Australia and New Zealand as well as
from Europe. Several countries of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region are
also considering introducing Healthy Cities ideas.
Based on a stong political commitment to a positive approach to health,
Healthy City principles call for bridging the piecemeal actions of govern
mental departments with genuine public participation. Experience so far
with the project vividly shows that the destiny of the world's great cities need
not be one of gloom and doom. If the political will and the community moti
vation are there, high pollution days as well as litter on the streets,
ramshackle housing and traffic jams will slowly but surely fade away into
environmental history.
Industry, usually situated in or around cities, also has an impact on the
quality of the environment. Chemical contamination and disposal of toxic
wastes are just two elements of the mulifaceted problem of industrial pollu
tion. In one form or another, we are surrounded by chemicals every day of
our lives. Modern society would be seriously disrupted if, by some magic
stroke, they were removed from use. At the present time there are about
80.0C0 chemicals in circulation. They are used in nearly two million different
types of commercial products, and each year hundreds of thousands of new
substances apper on the market. Yet only a few hundred of these chemicals
are thoroughly evaluated for their potential toxic properties.
We do know, for instance, that lead-containing paints are better avoi
ded ; that asbestos, although previously considered a handy building material
has now been proved to cause lung cancer, that the very process of combus
tion produces some rather nasty chemical compounds ; that lead-free fuel is
cleaner and more environment-friendly than standard gasoline ; that chloro
fluorocarbons, used in refrigerators and aerosols, are harmful to the ozone
layer.
Substances and processes that are environment-friendly do not come
free of charge. But can all developing nations afford switching to the "green"
policies? What comes first----- development or ecology? This is yet
another example of the Catch-22 situation that faces developing countries.
(Courtesy - WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION)
11
Environment, Health and Development
The all pervasive nature of the environment we live in cannot be
stressed adequately. The quality of water that we consume for drinking or
for personal and household tasks, the soil in which we grow our food and on
which we dispose waste material, the animals and plants around us, the air
that we breathe and the rural and urban setting in which we dwell or work
determines to a large extent the level of our physical, mental and social well
being.
Over the ages energy consumption, technological development, food
needs, food production, population growth, Population movement, national
trade, international trade, economic production, national debt and wealth,
changing land use, consumption of natural resources, urban waste, industrial
waste, and industrial education have been altering their environment.
Environmental degradation undermines development and damages
human health. Ill health, on the other hand affects the work force, hinders
development and leads to environmental degradation.
Environment,
development and health are thus closely interlinked with proper develop
ment, improving the environment, sustaining development and increasing
community health, making possible sustainable development. The role of
man in the maintenance of a clean and healthy environment is therefore
indispensable.
Urbanization and Industrialization
Urbanization and industrialization and the resultant influx of
population has resulted in severely stretching the existing facilites such as
housing, water supply and waste disposal, roads and transport system and
basic services.
The domestic wastes and garbage in the congested settlements cause
insanitary conditions, as well as insect and rodent problems giving rise to
many illnesses and deaths,
Indiscriminate spraying of insecticides,
rodenticides and pesticides often result in health risks.
Unsatisfactory
housing, overcrowding inadequate excreta disposal, burning of wood, coal
and cowdung, cakes for cooking pose severe health problems. Industrial em
issions andinappropriate disposal of wastes, create additional health hazards.
Every one has a right to enjoy a reasonably clean, safe and healthy
environment in which to live and work. Developmental activities must
therefore be controlled and well planned and steps ensured to see that waste
products are removed safely.
12
Planning of Urban Development
Rapid urbanization is reaching serious proportions in the developing
world leading to, among other problems, unhealthy living conditions, over
crowding, psycho-social stresses and violence. Unplanned, hastily planned
settlements or squatter settlements are invariably deficient in housing and
essential services for healthy living. Towns and cities must be, therefore,
developed in a planned manner, segregating residential areas from those
meant for commerce and industry.
Housing and Shelter
Shelter is one of the essential requirements for human ilfe.
Uncontrolled migration from rural to urban areas makes housing a major
problem. Poor housing has been shown to be associated with tuberculosis,
streptococcal infections, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.
Houses must be so designed and constructed as to allow adequate air ar,d sun
light to enter and, at the same time, protect its dwellers from the elements.
Where fire-wood, coal or cowdung cakes are used for cooking, houses must
be provided with smokeless "chulahs" and proper ventilation to let out the
smoke from the burning fire, thereby keeping the indoor air clean. Residents
should have access to safe drinking water, waste disposal sites and sanitary
latrines.
Water Supply and Sanitation
In most countries the supply of drinking water has not kept pace
with population growth. Waste collection and disposal facilities are often
lacking. Contamination of sources of water supply often occur as a result of
insanitary disposal of solid and liquid domestic wastes including human
excreta.
It is not uncommon for whole settlements drawing water from public
taps or open wells or community handpumps forcing people either to draw
insufficient quantities of water or to go to polluted water sources. Lack of
adequate water for washing and cleaning coupled with poor sanitation lead
to infection and re-infection through the oral-faecal route. The provision of
safe water supply and satisfactory disposal of wastes is, therefore, imperative
for a clean environment and healthy living.
Disposal of Solid Wastes
Large volumes of refuse are produced by the communities. Until the turn
of the 20th century, the generally accepted way of disposal of domestic refuse
was either to dump it into the courtyard of the house where it accumulated
and decomposed till it was finally carted away to farms or other disposal sites,
or throwing it out into the streets where it dispersed. This, however,
encouraged the breeding of flies, insects and rodents, which in turn,
transmitted many diseases.
13
Yet, the more new industries develop and existing industries expand,
the more the environment gets affected Although environmental issues
have become matters of great concern, the speed at which the new
technologies are introduced is rarely matched with measures to protect the
environment and the people.
On the other hand, hazardous substances produced by industry are
being handled by the public without being fully aware of their dangerous
side effects. Pesticides, for instance, are the most important and most widely
used hazardous chemicals. Their improper application leads to thousands
of deaths every year.
Albert Einstein once stated that "concern for man himself and his fate
must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavour". If he was
alive today he would certainly realize that concern for man and his fate
would become meaningless without concern for the environment.
In the case of industries it would mean careful considertiaon of a
number of issues of far reaching consequence :
(1)
Policies and Planning
Again it will be politicians, policy and decision-makers and planners
who will have to take the first step and formulate proper policies and
develop realistic plans for establishing and expanding industries.
(2)
Legislation
Although some form of legislation mostly exists, it is usually inadequate
or in need of improvement or for strengthening procedures for enforcement.
It should typically include the setting of standards and maximum allowable
concentrations as well as drawing up of regulations covering the production,
conveyance, disposal and accidental discharge of dangerous substances.
(3)
Introduction of new Technologies
New technologies and industrial innovations are being introduced all
the time, often without due regard to safety. Legislation should promote safe
production technologies as well as the recycling or proper disposal of waste.
(4)
Site Selection
The selection of a proper site for an industry vis-a-vis well-serviced
housing is extremely important. If carefully located, an industry will not
only present a minimum risk but will also mean reduced distances for
employees to travel to work.
(5)
Health of the Workers
In the case of an industry the working environment is at least as
important as its surroundings. Workers have to be properly protected
14
against harmful factors (toxic fumes, dust, noise, radiation, etc). The
provision of first aid equipment and protective devices is not enough. Safety
will have to start at the source through hazard control.
(6)
Public Information
There is a general lack of awareness on the part of both the public as
well as the decision makers. Health education and public information
programmes should, therefore, include safety aspects of the handling and
disposal of hazardous substances and of industrial accidents.
Conclusion
Never before in history have there been cities as large as today's,
doubling their size every 10 to 15 years. Never before have goods been
produced in such quantity and variety and never before have our energy
requirements been of such proportions. In view of the fact that our numbers
and our demands are still increasing we have to consider future steps
carefully and remember Einstein's words and act accordingly.
Keep
The Environment
Clean
15
Our Cities and Industries----Blessings or Curse in Disguise?
Over the ages man has been building cities. He has also been
fabricating the goods needed in his daily life and has been carrying out
activities in apparent harmony with his environment.
The cumulative effect of all these is that at places our environment has
become polluted to an extent that our living conditions are seriously
threatened. What has gone wrong ?
The Problem
In 1871, at the time of the first census in India, approximately 5 per cent
of a population of about 160 million lived in cities. In 1951, there were 361
million people in India with an urban share of 17 per cent. Today we are
close to 800 million with 27 per cent in urban areas. By the year 2,000 around
960 million people will live in India------ about 35 per cent of them in cities.
Although the early figures are estimates rather than exact counts and the
geographical boundaries of India have changed in the course of history, a
trend is clearly visible. One has to be aware, howaver, that such a steep
increase in the urban population, housing shortages and economic pressures
means, in practical terms, rapidly expending squatter settlements and slum
areas.
India only serves as an example. The situation in other parts of the
Region is similar. Today there are more than 20 towns in our Region with a
population of over 1 million. Six of these have populations of between 5 and
10 million. Rapidly increasing populations have also created high demands
for goods, energy, and other facilities. Growing employment opportunities
have accelerated migration from rural to urban/industrial areas. There is,
therefore, a noticeable shift from predominantly rural and agricultural
societies to urban and industrialized societies thereby increasing the number
of towns in most countries. The trend is most likely to continue.
We are now acutely aware that the increase in the size and number of
towns with the transformation of essentially rural areas into urbanized and
industrialized ones has extolled its price. Various forms of pollution as well
as destruction of ecosystems have not only damaged the quality of our
environment but also resulted in considerable health hazards.
16
Healthy Cities - Healty People
An increase in population and urbanization by itself is, within certain
limits, not harmful. It becomes a matter of concern, however, when the
improvement and expansion of services, facilities and infrastructure lags
grossly behind the population growth Some of the conditions witnessd are
overcrowded slums, hopelessly congested streets, massive pollution of all
kinds, unsanitary conditions and inadequate civic services, Millions are thus
exposed to diseases and other hazards
In order to bring about decisive and lasting changes for the better a
number of facts have to be kept in mind :
— The quality of an urban environment will ultimately be responsible
for the health or ill health of its inhabitants
— Politicians, urban planners and managers carry the primary
responsibility for healthy cities, physicians only play a subordinate
role,
— A city does not only consist of buildings, monuments, streets, traffic
systems and industries. A city consists in the first place of people
whose well being should be the foremost goals of urban planning.
— Every city consists of individuals who are invariably part of the
whole, the health of the individual is, therefore, inseparably
connected to the health of the city.
In order to promote the idea of a healthy city — healthy people as well
as a healthy urban environment — a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach
is required. Such an approach would typically contain the following
elements :
(1)
Policy Setting and Planning
Many problems related to urban growth and environment are
associated with the application of inappropriate policies, laws, codes and
regulations. Politicians, decision-makers, opinion leaders and planners have
to look far beyond the city boundaries when formulating policy statements,
strategies and plans of action. Neglected rural areas, for instance, leading to
rural-urban migration will have the same drastic effects on a city as
deforestation which could lead to massive soil erosion, dust storms and
polluted rivers.
(2)
Land Use and Transportation
Uncontrolled land use will lead to irregular squatter settlements,
under-utilized areas and wrongly sited industries and traffic systems. Proper
use of land, therefore, requires adequate controls to avoid serious political
and social consequences, instability and unrest and an unhealthy
environment. Unfortunately,^the pattern of land use in cities of the third
world has often been copied from industrialized countries : Industries and
businesses are concentrated and residential areas wide - spread. The
building capacity of cities and municipal governments to cope with rapid
urban growth needs attention. Rapidly growing cities in developing
17
countries have to adopt different spatial patterns. There is a general lack of
schemes relating to the physical distribution of settlements and location of
housing with opportunities to create work nearby and to generate income.
(3) Housing and Utilities
The most important component of land use in a city is housing and
related utilities like water, sanitation and power supply. Overcrowded and
unsanitary squatter settlements are a regular sight in many fast growing cities
of the third world. Illegal housing settlements develop because no legal
alternative is affordable by the majority of those seeking new housing. The
classic approach of condemnation and eviction followed by public housing
schemes has generally helped the privileged leaving the mojority "out in the
cold".
(4) Provision of Services
Services, regardless whether health care, family planning, education,
recreation, sanitation, water and power supply, etc., are meant to serve the
people. It is therefore essential that such services do not only meet the
needs of the residents in terms of quantity and quality but that they should
also be affordable. As far as health services are concerned it can certainly
be stated that every community will benefit from a shift from curative to
preventive services, including basic education in hygiene and nutrition.
Adequate housing among other factors, provides protection against
exposure to agents and vectors of communicable diseases, through safe water
supply, sanitary excreta disposal, disposal of solid wastes, drainage of
surface water, personal and domestic hygiene, safe food preparation and
storage and structural safeguards against disease transmission.
Industries Can be Safe
In recent years, a number of serious industrial accidents have attracted
world-wide attention. Bhopal and Chernobyl are still fresh in people’s minds.
Deaths, permanent disabilities, serious damage to the environment and
economic losses were the consequences leading to the closure of enterprises
and to public demonstrations requesting to shut down certain industries
altogether. Yet, it would be very hard to imagine today's world without
industries. They are increasingly becoming the basis of society and the key
to progress.
Industrial Wastes and Chemical Wastes
Industrial wastes and chemicals have a profound effect on human health.
Chemicals are widely used in every day life and for prevention and cure of
diseases and maintenance of agricultural activity. Many chemicals are
hazardous and some may persist and accumulate in the body if taken for long
periods of time. Observance of high safety practice is, therefore, necessary
along with effective means for preventing and combatting pollution, by waste
treatment and proper disposal for maintenance of clean and safe environment.
Water Pollution
The contamination of natural bodies of water occurs as a result of
industrial and domestic effluent and human excreta discharged directly into
18
them as well as from agricultural pesticides, fertilizers and solid particles
which are washed off the agricultural land. The industrial effluents and the
run-off from agricultural land contain substances which disturb the ecosystem
in the receiving water. In high concentrations, some of these substances are
harmful to human health if ingested along with drinking water. It must there
fore be ensured that dilution provided by the natural bodies of water is
sufficient for these substances to be received by them without deteriorating
the water quality or without upsetting the ecosystem If this is not possible,
the industrial effluents must be treated before being discharged or the use
of agricultural pesticides and fertilizers must be controlled in order to keep
our natural bodies of water clean. Likewise, discharges into coastal water
must be carefully controlled as these can contaminate the fish, particularly
the shell fish, which in turn transmit contamination to consumers.
Air Pollution
Without air of good quality there cannot be healthy life Yet, the air
in towns is generally grossly polluted by burning of fuel (coal, wood and
cowdung cakes) for cooking, factories, thermal power stations, and mining
activities and from in situ burning of trash, and street sweepings. In cold
climates, or in hilly, high altitude areas, burning of coal in households for
heating purposes, may result in dense smoke and air pollution Polluted air
contains solid and/or liquid particles such as dust, smoke, mists and fumes,
as well as gases such as sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides,
hydrocarbon vapours etc. These pollutants can cause serious problems, e.g.
throat irritation, watering of eyes and nose and aggravate respiratory or
bronchical conditions; severe and prolonged air pollution can even cause
deaths. Air pollution, therefore, should be controlled.
Air quality is influenced considerably by weather, and some weather
conditions are conducive to development of short-term higher levels of
pollution. When this occurs adverse health effects on populations can be
more pronounced particularly in susceptible groups such as the elderly, the
asthmatics and young children.
To prevent these health hazards, air pollution has to be checked by
harmonizing economic development with the environment. The ambient air
must be kept clean by (1) setting emission standards for vehicular traffic as
well as for industrial establishments, (ii) situating factories and thermal power
stations away from residential areas, and (iii) setting up smoke free zones
and prohibiting in situ burning of refuse. Burning of coke, biogas or
natural gas instead of coal, wood and cowdung cakes, should be encouraged.
Food Contamination
The contamination of food due to growing vegetables on land irrigated
by raw sewage, use of contaminated water for washing and cleaning of vege
tables and utensils, non-observance of hygienic practices and instances of
insects, rodents, and flies transmitting pathogens from excreta and wastes
are quite common. Inspite of the decline in the use of organochlorine
pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyles they still remain in the soil and
water, and can enter the food chain.
19
Human Exposure to Pollutants
Human exposure to environmental pollutants is measured by
determining concentrations of pollutants in body fluids and tissues. Studies
have proved that their presence in body fluids and tissues is due to pollution
from motor vehicles, smoking, use of pesticides and presence of dust
particles etc.
Higher lead concentrations in body fluids have been found in areas
where people do not use lead-free petrol in their motor vehicles and where
smoking is common. Cadmium levels are high where tobacco smoking is
common. Higher levels of organochlorine pesticides have been detected in
human milk. Preventive action has, therefore, to be taken through enforce
ment of strict legislation and regulations and through raising community
awareness and education.
High Noise and Vibration Levels
Noise and vibration are recognized as forms of environmental pollution
which are often caused by road, rail or air traffic; by manufacturing and
and construction industries : by malfunctioning water pumps or air condi
tioning units; and by loudspeakers turned on at high valume. To control
noise pollution it is necessary to set and enforce standards and ; where
possible, to site or divert the sources of noise and vibration away from human
settlements, by plantation of trees leaving open spaces for parks to reduce
noise and vibration problems.
Conclusions
The above are some of the main elements of environmental concern.
The problem of environmental degradation is very complex and any viable
strategy must consider not only the physical nature of the problem but also
the human factor involved. Experience has shown that provision of physical
facilities or enactment of legislation alone is not sufficient for keeping our
environment clean. It is necessary for all members of the community to take
part in the attainment of a clean and healthy environment. The level of
community awareness and participation in this endeavour will determine the
level of cleanliness of our environment.
WHO is playing a catalytic role in supporting and promoting the
environmental health programme in countries of the South-East Asia Region
through promotional, institutional and human resources, supplies & equip
ment, training and fellowships and group educational activities. It also
disseminates technical information and support materials and assists in
research and development of new technologies for efficient implementation
of various environmental health programmes.
20
Tips to project your environment
and your health
In town ...
*
Use public transport and walk, whenever possible, instead of using your
car. It’s cheaper and healthier.
*
Have your car serviced regularly and the motor adjusted to help keep
down pollution levels. Use lead-free petrol wherever possible.
*
Stick to speed limits when driving. The faster you go, the more petrol
you use and the more pollution you create.
•*
Noise pollution can have a detrimental effect on your hearing and your
nervous system. Think of others before revving up your motorbike or
turning up your stereo or television.
*
Sort your garbage to separate items that can be recycled, such as glass
and paper. If your community does not yet have provision for this,
suggest that it should start it.
*
Keep your town clean by throwing litter into bins and not on the streets,
where it is unsightly and may clog up the drainage system. Ask the local
authorities to provide more litter bins if there are not enough.
*
Encourage your local health authority to check regularly air and water
pollution levels, and to provide information on any eventual discrepancies.
*
Try to use non-fossil fuels, such as gas, for cooking and heating; this helps
to prevent smog, a common occurrence in many large industrial cities.
*
Choose environment-friendly products, such as sprays that are free from
chlorofluorocarbons or detergents with low levels of phosphate.
*
Don’t throw potentially harmful chemicals into the drainage system. If in
doubt, ask your local pharmacy or health authority to advise on disposal.
*
Keep your house or apartment in good repair, and — maybe — give it a
new coat of paint ? Action at the individual level can help improve the
environment for the whole community.
*
You can improve your local environment by preventing your dog from
fouling the streets and by decorating your windows and balconies with
flowering plants.
21
In the home ...
* Save energy wherever possible — switch off unnecessary lights, put on an
extra sweater instead of turning up the heating. The less energy you
use, the less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
*
Avoid smoking tobacco in confined spaces. Remember that passive
smoking can be harmful for the whole family. And smoking is bad for
your health anyway I
*
If you cook on an open fire inside your home, be sure that there is proper
ventilation. This way you will avoid exposure to harmful smoke and gases.
★
Avoid any contact between raw foods and cooked foods; this will prevent
foodborn disease. And always reheat thoroughly cooked foods that have
been left over or have been stored for a long time.
*
Keep the kitchen and surfaces used for the preparation of food meticulou
sly clean. Wash chopping boards and utensils each time they are used
for a different foodstuff; this will avoid cross-contamination or re-contami
nation.
*
Food that is not kept in a refrigerator should be kept covered to protect it
from insects, rodents and other animals
* Pasteurized milk is safer for your family than raw milk.
is available, heat it well before using it for drinking.
★
If only raw milk
If you live in a tropical area, protect yourself with insecticide-impregnated
bed-nets when sleeping to prevent mosquito bites.
★ Keep household refuse in closed bins which cannot be opened by children
or animals.
*
Do not keep poisonus substances in containers which would normally
hold food or drink, such as empty wine bottles or soft-drink bottles. Keep
medicines and harmful chemical products well out of reach of children.
*
Where large families are living in close proximity to one another, keep
noise levels from radios, television sets or household machines to a
minimum, particularly if there are young children and elderly people in
the home.
★ Keep floors free from dust and dirt, which may cause the proliferation of
insects and microbes. Eliminate the collection of stagnant water around
the outside of the home or in the garden. This provides an ideal breeding
ground for mosquitoes.
22
At Work...
*
Workers should be aware of any potential health hazards associated with
their occupation. Preventive measures are most important.
*
Dust containing certain forms of silica------ for example, in quarries, mines,
or in sand blasting------ should be controlled through measures such as
exhaust ventilation, use of water, enclosure, etc. and you should wear
the required protective clothing.
*
If, in the work environment, normal conversation is difficult at a distance
of one metre, there is the potential for an evantual loss of hearing. If the
noise levels cannot be reduced, then ear muffs or plugs do help.
*
Heavy physical work in a hot environment can cause exhustion. This can
be relieved through preferably regular breaks in a cooler area, and by
drinking plenty of water.
*
Maintaining proper ventilation in the workplace, be it a foundry, a paint
shop or a department store, is essential for the comfort and health of the
worker.
■*
Masks do not always offer full protection. For instance, dust masks do
not protect against gases and vapours. No mask protects against
chemicals which can penetrate through the skin. Make sure your
equipment is adequate.
★
Workers should not eat where chemicals and other toxic contaminants are
present.
*
Tobacco smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer from occupa
tional exposures.
■*
If your occupation involves the safety of others — for intance, airline
pilots, bus and train drivers, crane operators, etc. — remember your job
calls for physical and mental fitness.
★
If your work involves close precision or hours spent in front of visual
display units, frequent breaks and regular eye checks are essential.
*
When you see your doctor or health worker, don’t forget to talk about
your work environment------it may be the source of your problem.
*
Good lighting and relaxing colour schemes make for a more pleasant
workplace as well as reducing accidents and unnecessary eye strain.
23
In rural areas ..
* If in doubt about your water supply, boil water for drinking purposes.
If water is taken from a river, filter it before using so as to avoid diseases
such as guinea worm.
*
Private or community-owned water sources should be protected from
outside contamination, such as dust, mud, leaves, acid rain. The same
applies to domestic water containers, which should be kept covered.
★ Don’t place outside lavatories or pit latrines close to water sources.
Recommended distance is at least 50 mitres.
*
Always use a latrine or a lavatory. Defecation in fields or rivers not only
pollutes the environment or the water supply but attracts disease-carrying
insects.
★ Proper management and re-use of treated wastewater can be an asset to
agriculture, particularly in arid areas.
*
Fill in any holes or cracks in the floors or walls of your home to prevent
insects, snakes or rodents from entering.
★
When using pesticides, read the instructions carefully and keep to the
concentrations recommended. Don't use measures or empty containers
fof any other purpose.
* Keep pesticides and herbicides well away from children, and make sure
they don’t walk or play in recently-treated areas.
* When spraying pesticides or herbicides, wear light-weight clothing that
covers as much of the body as possible.
*
Avoid spraying crops when there is a strong wind, the pesticide may be
blown on to people, animals or dwelling places in the vicinity. Keep
people and animals out of freshly-sprayed crops.
★ Always wash carefully after spraying crops, and remove all contaminated
clothing before going into your home. Freshly sprayed crops should not
be eaten.
*
24
Do not scoop out pestidides or herbicides with your bare hands, nor dip
hands or arms into liquid to stir mixtures.
Prize Winning Essay*
Earth’s Future
D. V. M. VAMSHI
Student of IX A
Aurobindo International School, Hyderabad.
What is pollution ? What are the effects of pollution on our earth ?
Pollution is addition of undersirable and excessive substances to nature
which disturb the ecological equilibrium. This pollution is pervalent all
over the world. It is caused by several pollutants. A Pollutant is a
constituent at the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the wrong amount.
To-day many people are affected by pollution which are of three kinds.
They are; air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution.
AIR POLLUTION is caused mainly due to the release of smoke from
automobiles, vehicles, industries, etc. Air pollution is caused by aerosols,
smog, carbon-monoxide, radio active substances, acid rain, etc The smoke
released by the factories contains carbon-monoxide and other gases
which cause many diseases. We can cite the example of Bhopal gas
leakage incident in 1984 which killed many people and caused a tremendous
loss to the nation. In many big cities, the health of the people is greatly
affected due to smoke released from nearby oil refineries as also from other
industries and automobiles. Motor cars are responsible for causing a lot of
air pollution. In Ahmedabad and Surat, cotton dust is released into the air,
We should end air pollution. Otherwise the world would suffer.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
The amount of smoke coming frcm the factories' chemneys should be
reduced to a great extent. The carbon monoxide and other harmful gases
cause a lot of damage. Plants utilise the carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere
and through photosynthesis they give pure oxygen. So, trees should be
preserved.
Energy from the sun, tidal waves and biogas and other sources should
be utilised to minimine air pollution.
The Aerosols, which are chemical substances released into the air and
which break the ozone layers and allow the ultra-violet rays from the sun to
pass through should be reduced. Now-a-days, the concord jets, flying at
high altitudes, release gases which break the ozone layer. Therefore, these
concord jets should be modified so that they do not release harmful gases
into the air.
Radio-active substances also increase air pollution to a considerable
extent. Therefore, radic-active substances should be controlled.
WATER POLLUTION : Our earth consists of many sources of water
like seas, rivers, lakes, etc. The major sources of drinking water should be
*
Contest was organised by Sai Oral Health Foundation.
25
carefully utilised so that they do not get depleted. Water is polluted in many
ways. The main reason for the cause of water pollution is sewage water.
People bathe, wash their clothes and animals in the same place and water
from that source is used for drinking purposes, too. As a result they get
water-borne diseases like cholera, typhoid etc. Such diseases may even lead
to death. Industrial wastes are released into the rivers. Harmful diseases
are known to have killed many people in Japan when mercury was released
into ths rivers.
NOISE POLLUTION is mainly caused by factories and automobiles.
Seventy-five percent of the noise pollution is caused by automobiles. The
noise pollution causes a lot of stress and strain, affecting the brain. Loud
noise even causes the breaking of the ear-drums and consequent loss of
hearing. Historical monuments are also affected, not only by the chemicals
in the air, but also because of the vibrations resulting from loud noises. We
should keep down the noise level. Automobiles should use silencers to
minimise noise.
Many of the people are suffering from diseases caused by air and water
pollution. If the air pollution continues, in the 21st century the people may
be required to carry oxygen cylinders with them. Even a new born child
would have to be kept alive with the help of oxygen.
All forms of life on the earth are affected by pollution. If pollution is
allowed to continue on the same scale, after a few years there might be no
life existing on the earth. Man is a part of nature and so he should fight to
preserve nature by controlling pollution. Among the living forms, only man
is polluting and is responsible for increasing pollution. It is unfortunate that
he is not worried about even his own health.
As our knowledge is increasing more and more, we are starting more
industries and causing more and more pollution. Due to our carelessness,
not only human life but also all other forms of life are affected. Therefore,
every effort should be made to reduce pollution as early as possible. It is
the responsibility of each and everyone too see that pollution’s impact is not
felt by the earth.
The drainage system is to be developed on more sound lines. Since
the pipe lines pass through sewers, drinking water gets polluted. People in
rural areas dump the dead bodies of animals and other wastes in water
sources like lakes and tanks. Water contamination can be reduced to a
considerable extent by keeping the pipe lines away from the drains. The
toxic contents of water should be reduced. Swimmers who went into the
waters of the Hussainsagar lake in Hyderabad to retrieve the statute of Buddha
reported to have a burning seasation all over their bodies. It was found that
sulphuric acid in the water caused them irritation.
Industrial wastes should be disposed of properly. Our technical know
ledge should be used to convert them into re-usable materials by recycling
them.
26
A New Rahu Endangers The Planet
Mrs. RAJAM GANESAN
It is an undeniable fact that the all aspects of human health and well
being depend on the surroundings. It is only in recent years that voluntary
organisations have started playing a very important role in highlighting the
dangers of tinkering with environment and in preserving the ecology. If the
present generation fails to tackle the problem earnestly, it is bound to be
cursed by the succeeding generations.
People like Mr Sunderlal Bahuguna, who spearheaded the Chipko
movement, have been doing a great service to the country by endeavouring
to protect the enviroment. Strong enough pressure from groups of people
concerned with the protection of the environment can help to resolve the
problems. Such groups, however, should not act in isolation but must act in
concert with each other. The Silent Valley project in Kerala was shelved
after there was strong pressure from scientists, journalists, social workers and
environmentalists.
There is need to evolve methods to provide for income-generating
schemes which do not destroy the environment. Production for social
usefulness, rather than for profit, should be the aim. There should be more
stricter controls on products that are unnecessarily causing harm to the
environmental. The promotion of health and the prevention of environmental
degradation must go hand in hand.
The large-scale use of pesticides to protect crops'and kill insects that
carry diesease has led to increasing concern about their toxic effects on
human beings.
Increased urbanisation has meant vastly increased use of energy and
material to satisfy the basic human needs. The depletion of the materials at
a fast pace is also a matter of concern. With the needs of man increasing,
more and more goods are being manufactured, using a variety of materials
causing severe drain on the available natural resources.
Control of industi ial hazards to prevent occupational diseases, strict
enforcement of anti-pollution measures, developing renewable sources of
energy and appropriate technology, suited to Iccal conditions, would help to
keep down pollution.
Government action alone will not able to do much to preserve the
environment. Non-Governmental Organisations and even individuals must
27
pull their weight to supplement the work of the Government Agencies. It is
not enough to think of just ourselves. We must be able to think of the
neighbours and of the communityfas a whole. It is not enough to keep the
area around our homes clean. We must see that the surroundings of other
houses are also clean. By dumping the refuse from our homes or sweeping
it away into the neighbour’s compound we are only transfering the problem.
Often in the past, we have put the cart before the horse in planning
industries. Merely because a particular factory was going to provide jobs to
a hundred persons we allowed it to be set up. We only throught about
the short-term gains. We did not take into consideration the fact that the
factory would pollute the atmosphere and endager the lives of a thousand
persons in the vicinity. We did not take a long-term look at the starting of
the industries. Many industries have come up without making any provision
for the disposal of industrial wastes. It has resulted in life-giving and
life-saving water itself turning into life-destroying liquid.
There is urgent need to take a close look at the environmental compo
nent in communicable diseases and the efforts to control them through
environmental interventions.
Attention must be paid to the supply of fuel for the people. Firewood
is the major fuel used by the poor. Urban consumption of fuel-wood
contributes to deforestation. While the urban rich spend only about 7
percent of their income on household fuels, the urban poor are forced to
spend about 16 percent for meeting their basic needs. The latter are also
forced to use high-cost, low-efficiency smoky fuels which cause health
hazards. Uncoordinated government policies on fuel prices and supplies
have resulted in hardship for the urban poor. Efforts should be made to
employ renewable sources of energy.
Greater attention should be paid to recycle municipal wastes. Except
for a few pilot projects, not much headway has been made in this direction.
If Environmental degradation is not halted and is allowed to continue
at the present pace it will turn our to be the real Rahu, instead of the
mythical Rahu, that will ultimately deavour the earth.
28
2SS^a)o^°o
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31
WORLD HEALTH DAY THEMES
1950 Know Your Own Health Services
1951 Health For Your Child And The
World’s Children
1952 Healthy
Surroundings
Make
Healthy people
1953 Health is Wealth
1954 The Nurse : Pioneer Of Health
1955 Clean Water Means Better Health
1956 Destory Disease-Carrying Insects
1957 Food And Health
1958 Ten Years Of Health Progress
1959 Mental Illness And Mental Health
In The World Today
1960 Malaria Eradication — A World
Challenge
1961 Accidents Need Not Happen
1962 Preserve Sight — Prevent
Blindness
1963 Hunger : Disease Of Millions
1964 No Trace For Tuberculosis
1965 Smallpox — Constant Alert
1966 Man And His Cities
1967 Partners In Health
The
World
Of
1968 Health In
Tomorrow
1969 Health, Labour and Productivity
1970 Early Detection Of Cancer Saves
Lives
32
1971 A Full Life Despite Diabetes
1972 Your Heart Is Your Health
1973 Health Begins At Home
1974 Better Food For A Healthier
World
1975 Smallpox — Point Of No Return
1976 Foresight Prevents Blindness
1977 Immunise And Protect Your Child
1978 Down With High Blood Pressure
1979 A Healthy Child - A Sure Future
1980 Smoking Or Health : The Choice
Is Yours
1981 Health For All By The Year 2000
1982 Add Life To Years
1983 Health For All By The Year 2000 :
The Count-Down Has Begun
1984 Children's Health : Tomorrow's
Wealth
1985 Healthy Youth : Our Best
Resource
1986 Heatlthy Living - Everyone; A
Winner
1987 Immunisation — A Chance for
Every Child
1988 Health for All — All For Health
1989 Let's Talk Health
1990 Our Planet — Our Health
Think Globally Act Locally
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