The Tribune

HEALTH minister Duane Sands led a delegation to the 71st World Health Assembly Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, last month.

In a speech on the Assembly floor, Dr Sands drew the meeting's attention to the connectedness of natural disasters, carbon emissions, poor waste disposal and the marine food supply.

"The public health and economic impact are greatest for those in this assembly who are small island developing states with small populations and whose non-industrialised economies are depending on travel and our ecosystems," said Dr Sands.

He reported that Hurricane Irma, in 2017, rendered one of the Bahama Islands, Ragged Island, uninhabitable and that the Government has committed to rebuilding Ragged Island as a "green" island, thereby "decreasing the 'footprint' of human activity on that island."

The delegation included Dr Pearl McMillan, acting chief medical officer, Ministry of Health and Catherine Weech, managing director, Public Hospitals Authority.

Dr Sands thanked the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) for its technical support in response to disasters in the Caribbean region, and advised the Assembly that The Bahamas has embarked on a Healthy Environments Initiative in inner city communities that utilised a multi-sectoral approach.

Dr Sands said: "We have recently undertaken in a very densely populated area of The Bahamas, an initiative encompassing environmental, social and economic incentives, including cleaning and upgrading of green spaces, water and sanitary infrastructure upgrades and encouraging back-yard farming for fresh, organics fruit and vegetables."