Health and ecology

Ecology and health. These two words may not appear to be so closely linked at first glance. But on closer inspection, the link between them becomes apparent. Our health could be adversely affected if we disturb ecological balances. Take dengue for example. It is a classic case of a disease that spreads because we do not care enough for our environment.

What exactly is ecohealth? While there is no precise dictionary definition, Ecohealth is a field that strives for “sustainable health of people, wildlife and ecosystems by promoting discovery, understanding and transdisciplinarity” . The growth in interest and scholarly engagement with ecohealth is demonstrated by the strong communities of practice, groups and networks that have developed, by institutional uptake by large organisations such as the Pan-American Health Organisation and through the continued development of the Ecohealth Journal and the International Association of Ecology and Health (IAEH).

This is a relatively new field, but one with vast implications for our future. We have been destroying some of our environments, endangering not only the flora and fauna, but also humans themselves. Complex challenges continue to emerge at the intersection of ecosystems, society and the health of humans, animals and other species. In an effort to bring sustainable and integrated responses to these challenges, various practices and approaches have emerged, with names such as ecology and health, ecosystem approaches to human health, One Health, socio-ecological thinking, resilience thinking, healthy settings (Healthy Cities, Healthy Parks - Healthy People), ecological economics, “future earth” or environmental justice.These are multiple names for the same goals.

Connections

One of the goals of the EcoHealth studies is to acknowledge the diversity within the field of ecohealth. In fact, this is reflected in the conference theme of Connections for health, ecosystems and society. Today’s world is all about connections. People are connected, cities are connected - the world has become a smaller place. But ecology and health wise, this poses many challenges – a patient with say, Ebola, can be in another world capital in a matter of hours. We cannot underestimate the connection between health and ecosystems of societies. These connections are critically important. The central theme of Connections for health, ecosystems and society reinforces the importance of connections and learning among the various approaches and perspectives that compose the mosaic of the field.

Obviously, a great amount of research is presented and discussed at forums such as these, but it is important to put the research and words into action. Only then can the world benefit from research. Hence the conference sub-theme “Moving between research and action: Mobilising knowledge to benefit health, ecosystems, and society” which highlights the importance of actually using research and innovations to protect our ecosystems and collective health of nations.

But this essentially requires us to abandon old North-South concepts and work together as one. In this light, the present international collaboration on the Ebola crisis is a welcome move.

Often, many medicines and vaccines available in the West are too expensive for developing countries, which reduces their chances of combating disease. Moreover, research must whenever possible result in tangible action that safeguards both our ecology and health. Research institutions, universities, Government bodies and private companies must work together to achieve this objective. Innovating, which is another sub-theme under discussion, is also part of this exercise.

There is now much greater focus at this and other forums on the indigenous communities in the world, some of which face the threat of extinction.

These communities do not have to learn about their ecology; they live it every day. They have such a close link with the ecosystem that in the rare event of an illness, they find the solution from the nearby environment itself. They have much to tell the rest of the world about ecology.

Imbalance

Climate change is another contributory factor that has created an imbalance in terms of ecology and health. Climate changes can lead to serious health problems as natural patterns are disrupted. There is also greater understanding of the risks associated with livestock, as evidenced by diseases ranging from avian influenza to Foot and Mouth disease. In fact, Emerging Infectious Diseases of animal origin are seen as a big threat to world health, particularly because of the speed with which they can be transmitted around the world.

We are also destroying ecological systems with our intense drive to grow more food.

The extensive use of agrochemicals does have disastrous consequences, as we have experienced locally. It may not be entirely possible to grow the food required by an increasing population through organic methods, but there should be more controls on the use of agrochemicals and more training on the correct dosage etc.

A recent TV program on a local television channel exposed how farmers indiscriminately use pesticide on vegetable cultivations without any knowledge about required quantities.

As most speakers at the parley pointed out, the efforts of the scientific community to put things right would be wasted if the public did not come to know about them. This is where the media can come in, conveying the success stories of scientists' achievements to the public. The Media can also create awareness on issues such as dengue on its preventive aspects.

In Sri Lanka, there is a lack of coverage of the Ebola crisis but our media outlets should concentrate more on these issues because it can become a global problem.

With all these factors in play, the twin subjects of ecology and health are likely to gain more traction in the coming few years as the world realises their close affinity and the need to save the world.