Ministry of Health Malaysia and the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Office to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore are bringing together partners from across public and private sectors to celebrate World Health Day 2022 in Malaysia. This year, the focus is on “Our Planet, Our Health” and aims to raise awareness on the urgent actions needed to keep the population and the planet healthy.

Air quality, clean water, and nutrition are the priority topics this year because of their relevance worldwide. It is of utmost importance to acknowledge and observe this day and have discussions on how to further focus on societal well-being, especially following two difficult years fighting COVID-19.

“The pandemic has highlighted how inextricably linked the well-being of people and the planet are. That is why on this World Health Day, we focus on our planet, our health, and the measures necessary to sustain the well-being of both,” said Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore.

Clean air and reduced pollution.

Since 2010, ambient air quality in Malaysia has been steadily improving overall but Malaysia has experienced repeated short-term poor air quality due to the haze phenomenon. A multiagency National Haze Action Plan was developed as part of the national response to the deterioration of air quality during episodes of haze to provide a timely and coordinated response while the Ministry of Health has developed and is constantly reviewing public health guidelines to reduce haze exposure and mitigate any associated health effects.

Smoking also contributes to unclean air and addressing this issue requires large-scale change with tobacco smoke-free environments available on a national scale. The government of Malaysia is taking serious steps to ensure the right of non-smokers to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and clean air beginning with a nationwide smoking ban in all eateries and restaurants that became effective Jan 1, 2019 and studying the implementation of a new law to ban smoking, sale of and possession of tobacco products, including vape, for the generation born after 2005.

Clean Water

The Ministry of Health Malaysia has carried out one of the oldest environmental health programmes in the country, the Rural Environmental Sanitation Programme through the Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Unit (BAKAS). This programme has played a major role in providing clean water supply to rural communities and contributed to the near-full coverage of clean and safe water supply throughout the country. Together with the implementation of the National Drinking Water Quality Surveillance Programme (NDWQSP), the Ministry has helped improve the quality of health by ensuring the safety and acceptability of drinking water provided to the public, and monitoring quality to reducing the incidence of water-borne diseases or illnesses associated with poor quality of public water supplies. The Ministry of Health is also planning to introduce the Drinking Water Quality Act (DWQA) as a measure to further fortify protection against health hazards due to unsafe drinking water and support safe drinking water for every pocket of society.

Nutrition

A sustainable, healthy food system is crucial in ensuring the well-being for the entire population. The government of Malaysia is committed to addressing double burden of malnutrition and elevating nutritional status, reducing diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and strengthening food and nutrition security through policies like the National Nutrition Policy of Malaysia (NNPM) 2.0.

Malaysia also supports global efforts to protect the health of our people and planet and through close cooperation with the food industries, is addressing the production of unhealthy food and beverages while helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes the imposition of excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) which will increase the price and eventually reduce the demand and consumption of these beverages and thus, reducing obesity and other diet-related NCDs. The Ministry of Health will also continue to strengthen national controls system to ensure the population continues enjoying quality and safe food now and in the future.

Honorable Minister of Health Malaysia, Khairy Jamaluddin has emphasized that “We owe it to our planet as it is our duty to keep it safe and healthy in securing a legacy for our future generation. Let us strive to stay fit and healthy, not just for ourselves but for our families and community”.