WHO Philippines urges united fight against ‘silent killer’ climate change

As part of its observance of World Health Day 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines on Thursday called on the government, private corporations, and the public alike to work together to address climate change.

Acting WHO representative to the Philippines Dr. Rajendra Yadav explained in a webinar that climate change is a “silent” killer.

“Unlike COVID-19, which is a loud killer, everybody knows it, climate change continues to kill silently and we might not even realize it,” he said.

“We are in the midst of a pandemic still but we should not forget that we have another major issue. COVID-19 may get controlled in many ways in the coming months, but this problem of planet or climate change has been there for many years now,” he added.

Yadav noted that the WHO estimates over 13 million deaths around the world annually due to “avoidable” environmental causes including climate change.

He said nine out of ten people also breathe polluted air especially because of burning fossil fuels like oil, coals, and natural gas.

Thus, if the people will not act on solving the climate problem immediately, there might come a tipping point that could cause the Earth to get hotter, have violent typhoons and floods, and worse diseases, he explained.

To protect the planet and the people’s health simultaneously, Yadav underscored that the government should stop the fossil fuel subsidies and instead reinvest in renewable energy, tax the polluters, and tax tobacco and highly processed food more. He also called on local chief executives to engage in low-carbon public transport.

Further, he said corporations should support teleworking, while the public must continue raising their voice and demand climate actions from the government.

“We have one planet–planet A, but no planet B. We better take care of it because it will then take care of us,” Yadav said.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III pointed out that the health of the people depends on the health of the planet.

“No one in this world can actually be healthy if our planet is not. Universal healthcare is not possible without equitable environments for health which could only be achieved if each and everyone on this planet will walk the path to transformation through our way of living, working, producing, consuming, and governing,” he said.

To help protect and promote the people’s right to health, Duque said that they will work closely with the international community, government and non-government sectors, academe, youth, and environmental health professionals.

“Together, let us celebrate the World Health Day with a firm resolve to work together towards a green recovery where people enjoy improved lives and well-being because they live on a greener, cleaner, and more resilient planet,” he added. — BM, GMA News