KUCHING, April 7: Climate change due to environmental pollution is the cause of high death rates each year globally, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Disclosing this, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said climate change is the single largest health threat faced by human beings.
“Due to the increase in concentration of carbon dioxide obtained from burning fossil fuels, it has caused an increase in heat-related illnesses as well as the incidence of deaths. Worsening air quality and the increase in temperature are also the cause of natural disasters.
“In addition, environmental pollution has also reached alarming levels. Among the causes that have been identified are irresponsible attitudes of individuals and organisations regardless of its potentially harmful and health-threatening effects for our future generations,” he said in a statement in conjunction with World Health Day.
This year’s World Health Day themed ‘Our Earth, Our Health’ is a day of global health awareness which coincides with the establishment of WHO which focuses on the well-being of every person along with the well-being of the environment around the world.
Dr Hazland, who is also Demak Laut assemblyman, said the current world situation shows various health challenges including current pandemics, environmental pollution and climate change as well as various humanitarian crises.
In conjunction with World Health Day, he is hopeful that every communities in Sarawak will work together to preserve the environment for the well-being of the society and future generations.— DayakDaily
