To develop equitably, address five priorities
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the inequitable and unsustainable systems in which people in the SouthEast Asia Region and across the world live and work, consume and exist. Globally, over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air, resulting in around seven million deaths every year, including 2.4 million in the region. Food systems that are unsafe, unhealthy and unsustainable cause millions of premature deaths annually, primarily from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and are a leading contributor to the climate crisis and antimicrobial resistance — two of the greatest health risks facing humanity.
In 2020, around one in four people globally lacked safely managed drinking water in their homes, and 50% of health care facilities in least-developed countries provided basic water services. Poor quality drinking water can lead to acute waterborne disease and risks exposure to toxic chemicals such as arsenic. Inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities makes health care less effective and has a disproportionate impact on women and girls. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 13 million deaths each year are due to avoidable environmental causes — a figure that we cannot and must not accept.
While the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the inequitable and unsustainable nature of existing political, social and commercial decisions, it has shown that if decision-making is transparent, evidence-based and inclusive, people will support bold and far-reaching policies that protect their health, families and livelihoods. It has shown that by prioritising equitable health now and for future generations — including through long-term investments, well-being budgets, social protection, legal and fiscal strategies — we can build “well-being societies” that facilitate human flourishing, and fulfil every person’s right to health and development, without breaching ecological limits.
To achieve a region and world in which clean air, water and food are available to all, where economies promote physical and mental health and well-being, where cities are liveable, and where people have control over their own health and that of the planet, we must address five priorities.
First, protect and preserve the source of human health: Nature. Policies that reduce deforestation, promote afforestation, and end intensive and polluting agricultural practices can improve air quality, strengthen food systems, and promote sustainable farming and forest management.
Second, invest in essential services, from water and sanitation to clean energy in health care facilities. Countries must continue to protect drinking water supplies by implementing multi-sectoral water safety plans and including WASH in relevant health policies, strategies and programmes.
Third, ensure a quick and healthy energy transition. Globally, two-thirds of exposure to outdoor air pollution results from the burning of the same fossil fuels that are driving climate change, which between 2030 and 2050 is expected to cause an additional 250,000 deaths annually. While countries in the region have made commendable efforts to expand renewable energy sources, increased action is needed, and must be accompanied by rigorous enforcement of air quality standards, as well as increased investments in public transportation infrastructure.
Fourth, promote healthy and sustainable food systems. Diseases caused by a lack of access to food, or consumption of unhealthy, high-calorie diets, are a major contributor to NCDs, which in our region kill around 9.2 million people annually. Fifth, build healthy, liveable cities. In 2021, five cities in the region were selected to participate in the WHO Urban Governance for Health and Well-Being initiative, which aims to strengthen country capacities to promote health and address health inequities.
We are at a pivotal moment. The decisions we make now can either “lock in” development patterns that do permanent and escalating damage to the ecological systems, or they can promote a healthier, fairer, and greener world. Together, we must raise our voices and act now to protect our planet, health, and future.