QUEZON CITY, Sept. 27 (PIA) -- Various public health emergencies such as dengue, polio, and COVID -19 are linked to environmental factors that needs to be addressed in the fight against emerging and infectious diseases, said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during the virtual celebration of World Environmental Health Day (WEHD) 2020 on September 25.
By virtue of Proclamation No. 595 of 2018, WEHD is celebrated annually every September 26th to raise global awareness about the most pressing environmental health concerns.
With the theme, “Sa panahon ng pandemya, malusog na kapaligiran ang BIDA”, Duque said that water supply, sanitation, air quality, solid waste management, chemical safety, food safety, occupational safety, and climate change are all connected to human health. These are essential components of the National Environmental and Health Plan (NEHAP), which serves as blue print in implementing minimum health standards under the new normal.
Duque emphasized that addressing health and environment is not only the responsibility of the Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental and Health (IACEH) but by everyone. IACEH is an inter-agency body created under Executive Order (EO) 489 series 1991.
He enjoined everyone to be a solution especially in fighting COVID-19 by following the BIDA cradle.
“The list of threats to our environment is already long but we overcome each one through a Bayanihan spirit with your commitment to make a difference in the health of our people and communities that we live in, we will not only heal and recover, we will certainly recover as one,” Duque concluded. (MBP/PIA-IDPD)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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