Bhubaneswar: Despite continuous efforts to improve the healthcare facilities, occurrence of various communicable and non-communicable diseases has become a major cause of concern for the human society, opined several experts while participating in a webinar on the occasion of World Health Day, Wednesday.
The Orissa Environmental Society (OES) organised the webinar on the theme of ‘Building a fairer, healthier world’.
OES president Sundara Narayan Patro said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has defined health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
“Thus, for eradicating various health problems and attaining the state of wellness, we not only have to deal with the disease-causing pathogens but also think of healthy diet as well as the quality of our environment. Food being the source of energy and nutrients for carrying out basic functions of the body and for sustenance of life, right kind of food and balanced diet, including fresh fruits, leafy vegetables, fish, egg and milk are very much essential to stay fit,” Patro added.
Patro also stressed on the need to eradicate the occurrence of non-communicable diseases, which are byproducts of the modern civilisation.
ICMR-RMRC, Bhubaneswar, Director Sanghamitra Pati, who was the chief speaker of the webinar, elucidated the significance of observing the World Health Day in the prevailing scenario of Covid-19 pandemic.
She opined that health is a multi-factorial issue and is influenced by individual as well as environmental determinants. Overall health is achieved through a combination of physical, mental, emotional, social and environmental well-being. The inequalities existing in the society among different groups of people and the discrimination experienced on the basis of gender, ethnicity should not be reflected while providing quality healthcare services to the people. Universal health coverage can be accomplished through improving the environmental health, she said.
Other health experts who participated in the webinar are: former Health department Director Seba Mohapatra, cardiologist T Badrinarayan and Bipin Bihari Panda. They emphasised on nutritious food, pollution-free environment and active lifestyle for maintaining good health.
OES secretary Jaya Krushna Panigrahi highlighted the deterioration in the quality of environment, and its impacts on disease occurrence and human health.