More Than Meets the Eye: Redefining a Healthy Environment

Just like the definition of health according to WHO is the state of complete physical, social and mental state of a human being and not just in mere absence of diseases, a healthy environment isn't the one that's devoid of pathogens and micro-organisms (is there even any environment without those disease causing organisms?)

A healthy environment is one that literally keeps the inhabitants healthy, providing all the attributes of good health. It is not only about the absence of pollution but also about the presence of systems and conditions that support a high quality of life.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness they say and yes, the first step of making an environment healthy is keeping it clean. Cleaning the environment doesn't simply means cleaning the visible parts of the building where people could easily see, what about the backyard, what about the ceiling's cobwebs, what about under the bed, are all those hidden places neat? What about your toilet? Can you subconsciously take an edible inside the toilet without even knowing it's a toilet because of how neat it is? What about your surroundings? Are there stagnant waters there? Are there refuse dumps around your vicinity? Are there grasses as tall as you are around your home?
If yes is the answer to any of the above questions, then is your environment really safe?

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Where's your residential building located? Is it in such a place where you're flanked by companies as your neighbours constantly releasing smoke fumes? Are you just In front of the road?

Do you have good water supply around your vicinity? Is your borehole atleast 10 metres away from your sewage pit?

An environment will never be termed healthy unless yes is the answers to these questions.

Well, then , Is My Environment Healthy?

To some an extent, it is, but not entirely. While I enjoy good water, air, no pollution and regular waste disposal, I also suffer from bushy environment.

The works department is in charge of cutting the grasses around the hospital premises and it's residential areas, however, they leave it till you complain to the verge of informing the Chief Medical Director about how bushy the residential areas are before they come and do their job, coupled with the fact that this is rainy season, grasses grow faster than they should which invariably means they should be coming more often but then, they still leave it for once in a month rendering the residential areas unsafe till they cuts the grasses.

To make my environment safe always, what do I do?

If there's a point I was trying to make in my own environment, it's the singular fact that making an environment safe isn't a one-time act. It requires a constant effort and most times not just yours alone but a communal effort. Because while I do my best to make my environment safe, unless the work's department call it a duty to make the residential areas safe too, it'll never come through.

In conclusion, a healthy environment isn't just about the aesthetic look, it's an environment that ticks the boxes of making life bearable and safe for all living things in every essential aspect. To live well and avoid constant hospitalisations, we all must strive to make our environment truly healthy.

Thanks for reading and have a nice day ahead 👍