A wounded planet / Hiroshi Nakajima

WORLD HEALTH DAY 1990 A wounded planet by Dr Hiroshi Nakajima Director-Genera/ of the World Health Organization JI t is now increasingly evident that more and more diseases stem from the degradation caused by man to his own environment. The potential harmful effects of industrial development on our global ecosystem are now better known. Ozone layer depletion, acid rain, climate change, chemical pol- lution are some examples of the man-made wounds to our planet. We are at a tumin9 point; warn- ings of the damage to our health and quality of life are growing louder. An increasing number of people are acting to stop the degradation of our environment. As Director-General of the World Health Organization, I have chosen the theme of Environment and Health for World Health Day, 7 Aprill990. WHO intends to spotlight the measures that individuals, commu- nities and nations can and must undertake to halt further deteriora- tion of the health of our planet. Our own health and that of future generations depends on it. I make a solemn appeal for solidarity among industrialised and developing countries. We must find viable options for sustainable devel- opment and to protect health everywhere on our planet. Decisions taken by one country can have repercussions not only for its neighbours, but for all countries of the world. On the occasion of World Health Day, I invite the Member States of WHO, governmental and non- More and more diseases stem from the degradation caused by man to his own environment. WORLD HEALTH, January-February 1990 Dr Hiroshi Nakajima {right) inspecting a solar-powered water purifier. governmental organizations, and all concerned with the wellbeing of the world to embark on an awareness campaign. We must alert everyone to the dangers of an unhealthy environment and to measures they must take to avert them. The slogan we have chosen is: Our planet - our health: Think globally - act locally. • Hiroshi Nakajima, M.D., Ph.D. Think Globally WHO's Constitution first came into effect on 7 April 1948 and, since then, 7 April has been commemo- rated every year as World Health Day. This year, the Day focuses on environ- ment and health, and the 166 member countries have been invited to find their . own ways of expressing the chosen slogan: ' Our planet - our health Think globally - act locally. The Health Game published in our first issue of 1989 proved so popular that all copies are now exhausted. For 1990, we have devised another game which is both fun to play and also informative about the relationship between environment and health. "Our Planet - Our Health" appears in our centre-pages. You are invited to remove the Question and Answer section from the staples, so that the "board" is ready for playing the game. And the Rules of the Game appear on page 31 . As was the case in 1989, limited quantities of a larger version of the "board" can be ordered from: Division of Public Information, WHO, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. 3