A brief introduction to the concepts of Ecology and health, Right to health and the relationship between health and development.

1. Ecology of health
Right to health
Health and Development
DR. S. A. RIZWAN, M.D.,
Assistant Professor
Department of Community Medicine
VMCHRI, Madurai

2. First things first…
Agara mudhala ezhuthellam
aadhi bhagavan mudhatrey ulagu.
2/39

3. Recap…
 History of medicine – various civilizations, various
concepts
 Concept of health and wellbeing
 Various methods to measure well being
 Spectrum of health
 Determinants of health
3/39

4. Classify…
4/39

5. Learning objectives
 At the end of this class, you
should be able to
1. Describe the relation between
ecology and health
2. Describe the right to health
concept
3. Describe the relation between
health and development
5/39

6. Ecology of
health
The relation
between
(wo)man and
her/his
environment
6/39

7. Ecology of health
 Greek word ‘oikos’ meaning a house
 Human ecosystem
 Natural environment
 Man-made environment
7/39

8. Natural environment
8/39

9. Man made environment
9/39

10. Ecology and health
 Health seen as an equilibrium between
(wo)man and her/his environment
10/39
(WO)MAN ENVIRON.
HEALTH

11. Changes in environment affect
health
 Urbanization
 Industrialization
 Deforestation
 Dams and canals
Examples: Malaria, Filariasis, Schistosomiasis, Bhopal gas
tragedy, Chernobyl nuclear accident
11/39

12. Changes in environment affect
health
12/39

13. Importance of ecology
 Prevention and control of disease
 The greatest improvement in human health can be
achieved through understanding environmental
factors
13/39

14. Summary
 The study of disease is really the study of
(wo)man and her/his environment
14/39

15. Questions…
 Which of the following is not a disease related
to physical environment?
1. Malaria
2. Dengue
3. Cholera
4. Depression
 Give an example of environmental planning to
protect health?
15/39

16. Right to
health
A highly
personal
responsibility
A major public
concern
16/39

17. Fundamental rights of the
citizen
 Right to Equality
 Right to Freedom
 Right against Exploitation
 Right to Freedom of Religion
 Cultural and Educational Rights
 Right to Constitutional Remedies
17/39

18. Right to health
 One of the last rights to be
acknowledged
 WHO constitution - fundamental
right of every human to attain the
highest possible standard of
health
 Health is no longer charity but a
right
18/39

19. Responsibility for health
 Who is responsible?
 Individual
 Community
 State
 International
19/39

20. Individual responsibility
 One cannot give health
to another
 ‘Self-care’
 Health related activities
undertaken by the persons
themselves
 Diet
 Sleep
 Exercise
 Period checkups
 Vaccination
 Early care seeking
20/39

21. Community responsibility
 Active involvement of families and
communities in health matters
 Three ways
1. Provide manpower, logistics,
funds
2. Take part in planning
3. Utilizing the services
21/39

22. Examples of community
responsibility
22/39
Health care for the people, by the people.

23. State responsibility
 Constitution of India says that
maintaining the health of the
people is the responsibility of
the state
 Alma Ata declaration gave
rise to the Health of All
23/39

24. Example for state responsibility
24/39

25. International responsibility
 Cooperation between
different countries
 Experts, drugs, control
of communicable
diseases
 Eg., Smallpox,
HIV/AIDS, Tobacco
25/39

26. Example of international
responsibility
26/39

27. Summary
 The responsibility for good health
begins with the individual
27/39

28. Questions…
 Give me an example
for international
responsibility in health?
 Name anything that
exemplifies state
responsibility for health
28/39

29. Health and
development
Money is
necessary to
achieve
good health
Or is it?
29/39

30. Relation between health and
socio-economic development
 Health is necessary for
socio-economic
development of nations
 And the vice-versa is also
true
30/39

31. Example: money is health
31/39

32. Example: money is health
32/39

33. Money is not sufficient
 But economic development
is not sufficient
 Social factors like education,
employment, housing,
freedom also important
33/39

34. Example: money is not
sufficient, USA & CUBA
34/39
Indicator USA Cuba
Life expectancy 77 years 78 years
Infant deaths 5 6
Children deaths 8 8
Maternal deaths 49 13
Government
expenditure on health
88% 44%

35. Example: money is not
sufficient, INDIA & SRI LANKA,
THAILAND
35/39
Indicator India Sri Lanka Thailand
Infant deaths 50 13 12
Children deaths 66 16 13
Immunization 66% 99% 98%

36. Example: money is not
sufficient, KERALA
36/39

37. Summary
 Money is necessary but not sufficient for
achieving good health of the population
37/39

38. Questions…
 What index is used to classify countries into
developed or developing countries?
 What indicators are used to measure health of
a nation?
38/39

39. Take home messages
1. The study of disease is really the study of
(wo)man and her/his environment
2. The responsibility for good health begins with
the individual
3. Money is necessary but not sufficient for
achieving good health of the population
39/39

40. Thank you
You can find this on
Email your queries to
sarizwan1986@outlook.com