The Hindu : Vision statement on environmental health

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 13, 2003

National

National

Vision statement on environmental health

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 12. For the first time, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has come out with a comprehensive `vision statement' on Environmental Health which takes into account the adverse effects of growing hazardous and bio-medical wastes, radiation and climate change on human health.

The purpose of this `vision statement' is to evolve a strategy for health risks reduction. It also offers a comprehensive approach to the environmental health management plans, which would be a systematic approach to estimate the burden of disease due to different environmental pollutants.

The `statement', prepared after wide consultations with various stakeholders, suggests the setting up of a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences with regional centres.

It recognises the need to modify the existing record and registration systems in hospitals and nursing homes by including occupational and environmental history in the treatment of diseases.

Environmental health comprises those aspects of human health including quality of life, that are determined by physical, biological, social and psychosocial factors in environment. A growing number of diseases in children have been linked to environmental exposures.

These diseases range from traditional water borne, food borne and vector borne diseases and acute respiratory infections to asthma, cancer, injuries, arsenicosis, certain birth defects and developmental disabilities.

Even the household, workplace, outdoor and indoor environments may pose risks to health in a number of ways. The poor quality of air which we may breathe, the contaminated water we may drink and the surroundings in which we live determine our quality of life.

While the genetic factors may not be responsible much for causing diseases but the environmental factors play much more active role in contraction of various diseases.

To be circulated to all the stakeholders including Ministries and departments at the Centre and State level, also deals with strategies and action plans required at various levels to ensure health for all.

One of the main features of the `statement' is that it takes into consideration the unique problems relating to environmental health in various areas of the country.

It has recommended focussed `Health Risk Studies', which bring out the cause-effect relationship in clear terms for the benefit of policy makers.

It suggests that adequate monitoring and surveillance system must be created by regulatory authorities to check surface and ground contamination.

Food contamination due to arsenic and fluoride in the endemic areas is required to be checked by taking policy interventions including stopping of irrigations of agricultural fields with contaminated water.

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