World Health Day: Inequities must end, healthcare must get top priority after food and shelter

Unchir-Dunktok:The India Greens Party (iGP) said good healthcare system must get top priority after food and shelter.

In a press statement issued on the occasion of the World Health Day today, the iGP President Suresh Nautiyal said health is the condition in which individuals and communities achieve their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential. Health for individuals is only possible in the context of a healthy environment and society.

The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on April 7, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other related organisations.

The iGP President said the Day has brought to light the important health issues such as mental health, maternal and child care, and climate change.

“The healthy society is one which guarantees a safe and clean environment, material security for all its citizens, good work, adequate housing, a balanced and unpolluted diet and clean water, appropriate education, a safe transport system, accessible and sensitive public services, equality of opportunity, and a secure present and hope for the future. Therefore, the Greens are determined to design health policy to promote the health of individuals, communities and society,” Mr Nautiyal pointed out.

He said the vision of the Greens is to recognise that the health service like all public services influences the life of the community and the country; therefore, it has to be in place without any discrimination.

“Let us resolve to promote public health through policies designed to secure a healthy urban and rural environment, healthy work, healthy agriculture and food, healthy education, a healthy transport system and healthy local economic development,” said the Green leader.

Mr Nautiyal said it is very sad that COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been harshest on communities which were already vulnerable. These groups are more exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality health-care services, and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic.

He said the inequities are not new. Even as the world has seen improvements in average levels of health and life expectancy and reductions in premature mortality, these gains have not been shared equally across different sections of society within and across nations. Differences are also observed at every age, from the early years to the end of life.

This is not only unfair, it is preventable. That is why we are calling on leaders to ensure that everyone has living and working conditions that are conducive to good health. At the same time, we urge leaders to monitor health inequities, and to ensure that all people are able to access quality health services when and where they need them.(UNI)