LETTERS: Part of the reason behind the Covid-19 outbreak has something to do with our environment. The unclean or unhealthy environment is indeed speeding up the spread of various diseases.
A report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2016 entitled “Preventing Disease through Healthy Environment” shows that 23 per cent of global deaths and 26 per cent of deaths among children under 5 are due to modifiable environmental factors.
These environmental factors include pollution of air, water and soil, occupational risk (for instance, physical, chemical, biological and psychosocial risks), built environments (housing, workplace and roads), man-made climate and ecosystem change. Leading the list are stroke, ischaemic heart disease, diarrhoea and cancers.
In addition, other diseases result from changes in the quality of the environment such as diarrhoeal diseases, intestinal nematode infections (e.g. hookworm disease), parasitic and vector diseases (malaria, trachoma, Chagas disease, dengue) and many more.
Deaths due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) attributable to poor air quality (as well as exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke) are around 8.2 million. The quality of the environment undoubtedly affects human health.
There is an English idiom that says, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”. The phrase shows that cleanliness is a symbol of purity or goodness. Even in Islam, cleanliness is imperative and emphasised continuously as an important requirement in various forms of worship. Allah SWT said, “For God loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean” (Al-Baqarah, 2:222).
Other than focusing on personal hygiene, we must also maintain environmental cleanliness because a healthy environment is indispensable for a healthy population.
Dr Margaret Chan, a former WHO Director-General (2006-2017), once said, “If countries do not take actions to make environments where people live and work healthy, millions will continue to become ill and die too young.”
The recent smoking ban introduced by the Malaysian government in early January this year is timely as it will help to reduce public exposure to second-hand smoke.
Further measures to be considered include reducing the use of solid fuels for cooking, increasing access to low-carbon energy technologies, giving an incentive for green products and services usage, having price reductions for eco-friendly goods and so forth.
Maintaining a high standard of hygiene is vital in the pursuit of achieving healthy and clean surroundings. Washing your hands, cleansing oneself, avoiding smoke from cigarettes or vehicles, cleaning the house and so on are basic practices that do not require a lot of money but are effective in maintaining the beauty and cleanliness of the environment.
Keeping the environment fresh, pure and healthy is vital to maintaining healthy societies and it all starts with us.
AZRINA SOBIAN
Fellow, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times