Health protection and sustainable development
BMJ 2004; 328 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.328.7454.1450 (Published 17 June 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;328:1450
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Authors conclusion about HPA’s role stating: “Yet, although this is
to some extent addressed by the Environment Agency, no mention of Health
Impact Assessment is made in either the Health Protection Agency's
document or that on sustainable development. Knowledge of all factors
contributing to the links between exposures, their effects, and their
control does demand coherent collaboration between a range of agencies and
skills,2 stretching much wider than clinicians, public health doctors, and
toxicologists”.
The authors failed to mentioned one aspect of functions of the Health
Protection Agency. The HPA in collaboration with Primary Care Trusts
carries out Integrated Pollution Prevention & Control (IPPC) function
for assessing application for a new factory or businesses. Here Health
Impact Assessment is carried out in a multiagency, cross collaboration
way, just the way authors suggests.
Perhaps the Occupational Health needs to come on board for supporting
IPPC work.
Competing interests:
none
Competing interests: No competing interests
Health protection and sustainable development need global concerted efforts of intersectorial agencies.
Sir:
It was nice to read this editorial (1), which addresses a highly
relevant topic of global health protection and sustainable development,
which is a noble goal often highlighted and emphasized by world health
bodies and related intersectorial agencies such as environment, health,
energy, industry, and economy. Notably, their efforts to protect health
and sustain overall development are chronically shortsighted globally,
particularly in developing countries, where 90% people are living in
poverty where moreover maximum focus is needed.
These countries have emerging infectious diseases whose effects are
also palpable across developed nations, because now infectious diseases
have no boundries at all.
All countries of the world but the USA in particular are producing
hazardous chemicals, radiating materials, carconigens, and poisons not for
storing but for using freely in different ways, the acute and chronic
adverse effects of which are perceived in the people making environment.
Notably, both the health of developing, growing children and reproductive
women are badly affected by "poisonous" environment.
Indeed, bioterorrism has affected in the past and may also affect the
health and economy of people around the world in future as well. As long
as people are frustrated due to multiple preventable reasons and
suppressed ruthlessly, they may resort to any "stupid" means of
destruction inclusing releasing poisonous gases and biological organisms
anywhere anytime in the world.
To control all hazardous effects of unhealthy environment on human
health, international strong wills of international partners are needed,
which when will come
as a true dream is to surmise.
Arguably, sustainable development is not possible unless
1)economic outputs are perceived globally, 2) the boundries of investment
are enlarged, 3)the unemployment rate is brought to zero, 4) poverty is
dealt with genuinely, 5) education is made free for all everywhere, 6)
health services are provided to each and everyone on equal basis,
7)problem of homelessness is addressed seriously by providing good housing
and removing shanty towns, 8) domestic violence, communal riots and crimes
in the community are reduced susbatntially, 9) climate warming and its
unimaginable adverse health effects are discussed and proper preventive
strategies are applied universally, 10) air, water, and land pollution is
minimized to acceptable limits, 11) road traffic is handled in such a way
that reduces the motor car accidents, a major health problem reported
worldwide and associated with high death toll and disability, 12) disposal
of waste is thought of and managed beforehand, otherwise dumping it
carelessly into water or land may jeopardize substantially the marine and
human life, and finally 13) deforestation is nearly stopped completely and
wildlife is conserved around the world.
In summary, health protection and sustainable development need global
concerted continuing efforts of intersectorial bodies directly involved
both in preventing health hazards of environmental "catastropihic"
manipulations and addressing global poverty and its paraphernalia.
Reference:
1. Jon G Ayres and Raymond. Agius . Health protection and sustainable
development. BMJ 2004; 328: 1450-1451
Competing interests:
Environmental conservationist.
Competing interests: No competing interests