The Role Of Environment In Human Health

The environment includes the surroundings, conditions or influences that affect an organism (Davis, 1989). It impacts the health of humans in a vast array of ways, which can be divided into positive and negative ways. In one way it can act as a provider of raw materials that sustains health and in another it can be a waste sink that if not managed properly can compromise the health of humans. I am going to be critiquing the role it plays in human health under those two headings below.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Environment- biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism

Biotic- living things as well as their products

Abiotic- anything, chemial or physical that lacks life

Health- state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely

Amongst many other ways, dumpsites pose health problems because of their attraction of mosquitoes, rats, cockroaches, and flies leading to malaria and cholera outbreaks (Masundire and Sanyanga, 1999). In 2008/2009 there was a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe starting in and greatly impacting high density suburbs like Chitungwiza were there has been improper management of these environments. The outbreak has been attributed to factors such as the collapse of waste management, water supply and sanitation systems. In those years places like Chitungwiza had compromised environments which were obviously susceptible to communicable diseases. Sanitation was poor and there was untreated sewage flowing all over The onset of the rainy season saw the washing of faeces with cholera bacteria (from surrounding areas and burst sewage pipes) into water sources and this made the situation worse. (Rev Environ Health 2015; 30(2): 117–124,The 2008/2009 cholera outbreak in Harare, Zimbabwe: case of failure in urban environmental health and

However when improperly managed as it is in many countries in the world especially the developing nations it can be a catalyst for health disasters such as the cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe as well as other effects on health due to specific exposures from environmental poisons and wastes. Depletion of the raw materials due to overuse also negatively impacts health as a result of lack of these raw materials for human consumption and use.

In summary health and the environment have both simple and complex interactions but one thing is certain, the interaction is there and to improve and preserve our environment is to improve our health and that of future generations.

REFERENCES

1. Environment and human health Joint EEA-JRC report Report EUR 25933 EN ISSN 1725-9177

2. Rev Environ Health 2015; 30(2): 117–124,The 2008/2009 cholera outbreak in Harare, Zimbabwe: case of failure in urban environmental health and planning

3. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa (Volume 14, No.1, 2012)

4. Implications of the Dandora Municipal Dumping site in Nairobi, Kenya. Njoroge G. Kimani).

5. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa ( Volume 11, No.1,2009)

6. Freer-Smith et al., 2004; Marmot, Allen, et al.,