Developing Healthy Communities is the need of the hour as life becomes increasingly mechanized and society more insensitive to the need of others.

“Health is the vital sign of bliss,” says one writer, “and health and cheerfulness mutually begat each other.”

But health is not just physical health. In 1948, WHO declared that “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and is not just the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Communities are small geographic areas encompassing people of different castes, classes, religions and other social distinctions. The rich and poor, the able and the disabled, the powerful and the powerless may all be living in the community. The area is not so large that social networks cannot be established and the quality of health is improved by the combined efforts of every member of the community. The focus is on health and well-being, and is based on the principle that all human beings are created equal and must be endowed with good health, liberty and happiness.

The concept of healthy Communities is not new. Since ages, indigenous people have lived in harmony with Nature. They were highly integrated communities with general acceptance of conventions. Village councils watched over public life. These councils acted only in accordance with public opinion. Unity of the tribes was by sharing obligations and privileges and symbolized tribal unity. They had their methods of tribal control. Councils safeguarded the lives of the community. In case of disputes, the ruling of the councils was decisive and all members respected the rulings. Members male and female, used their skills for the betterment of individuals, families and the community as a whole. Except for the aged, the invalid and children, everyone worked.

Nomadic tribes still live in healthy communities. They live close to nature, breathing pure air and using natural resources for their sustenance. They move residence according to climatic changes. They know how to negotiate physical hazards. They have their own social and political units and consider all members of the tribe both male and female, as kinsmen. Leaders arbitrate disputes. Women enjoy equal freedom and fight alongside their men if their health and welfare are threatened.

However, excessive human greed and unbridled ambition has exploited both human life and nature, depleting natural resources, creating climate-related sufferings like forest fires, sudden floods, cyclonic weather and other devastating events. These lead to poor public health and socioeconomic disparities, with the rich becoming richer and the rest of humanity becoming poorer, ill health both mental and physical, unemployment, drug abuse, alcoholism and even violence.

Therefore, it is imperative that all nations both developed and developing, work together to establish Healthy Communities all over the world, to make planet earth a healthier and happier place to live in.

Healthy communities are based on the principles of Unity and Equality and the aim is the well being of every person. This happens when all residents of the community have access to good quality of life – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. All members irrespective of class, colour or status have equal access to health care, nutrition, education, employment and equal life expectancy. Where there is disparity it should be corrected, to secure equality and justice for all.

Healthy communities prosper when local groups and individuals work towards the welfare of the whole community. Those in power should not always use it for their own benefit but also for those who are powerless. When friends and neighbours help each other, social connectiveness happens and valuable relationships are formed. This has a positive effect on mental and emotional health. The Biblical admonition “Let each one of you not look out for your own selves but also for the interest of others” (Phil 2:4) is a good principle to live by. Every member should feel valued. There should be leaders involved in team building, who share their vision, set goals and motivate people to work together for the good of the community. Differences are normal and inevitable but also positively beneficial. Inevitable because relationships bring together different people with their own ideas. Differences are potentially beneficial because if properly handled, they make relationships stronger. Jimmy Durante an entertainer was asked to speak to a group of World War II veterans. Most of them were disabled but it was they who impressed upon him that unity brings strength. Many parts if put together can make one whole body. One man who had lost his right arm was seated next to another man who had lost his left arm. But when they juxtaposed their palms together, they were able to clap loudly and heartily.

Healthy communities grow when people work together and help each other. The late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said “There can be hope only for a society which acts as one big family and not as many separate ones.”

Unhealthy communities grow when people lack basic requirements of life such as clean air to breathe, unpolluted drinking water, lack of avenues for employment and poor housing facilities. Such situations bred discontent, crime rates increased, ethnic conflict flared up and life became unsafe. It also undermines the creation of meaningful social ties.

Healthy communities are built on two major principles – Economic Justice and Environmental stability.

Economic Justice envisions a fair economy which creates equal opportunities for every person to lead a dignified life based on a universal basic income. This moral principle underlies the growth of Healthy Communities. Economic Justice must be domestic and global, promoting fairness and equity to all members, irrespective of gender or race. Unless one has sufficient means it is difficult to live a dignified and productive life.

Economic Justice has many parameters.

• Health programmes should impart health information through books or pamphlets or through talks, films or skits so that even the unlettered can understand the need for healthy living. Professionals like doctors, epidemiologists, scientists or administrators in the community should willingly offer their services or advice to help establish effective service delivery systems. A healthy community needs good leadership.
• Good and affordable health care should be available to people of all ages – infants, mothers, pregnant women, the aged and those with illnesses. Community health programmes should lay emphasis on good nutrition, personal and environmental hygiene, immunization schedules and family planning. Primary health centres should be equipped with trained staff such as nurses or social workers. And their services should person-centred and area-centred. Home nursing and domiciliary midwifery will play an important part in promoting rural health.
• Health programmes should also stress on the evil effects of drugs, alcohol, smoking and sexually immoral behaviour. Immunization will prevent childhood diseases like polio, tetanus and rubella. Vaccinations protect against communicable disease like TB, Typhoid, Pneumococcal infections and Influenza. Patients with chronic illnesses like hypertension, diabetes and cancer should have access to regular treatment. There should be easy access to affordable medicines. Credit facilities will also help. Good health reduces mortality and improves productivity.
• Education. The community must ensure equal access to education. There should be no gender discrimination. Eradicating illiteracy must be the aim. For those who do not want to pursue academic, courses in vocational training, skill development programmes and technical education should be available. Education ensures level playing fields when pursuing jobs. It improves the social status of individuals, enhances economic capacity and decreases poverty as long as there are avenues for employment, with appropriate working conditions.
• Affordable housing for all, so that even the poorest of the poor can have a roof over their heads. There will be no more need for pavement dwellings.
• Cheap transportation is also important. Economic justice is ensured when all forms of discrimination are eliminated, all negative cultural bias is shed, and there is no economic exploitation of certain sections of the community.

Environmental Stability is the second principle on which Healthy Communities thrive. To lead healthy lives, we need to live in a healthy unpolluted environment, by preventing pollution of land water and air, over-population and inflation. Environmental changes can affect the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe and adversely affect weather conditions. Air is polluted by industrial emissions, toxic gas leaks from industries, bad farming practices, spraying of pesticides by agriculturists and burning of stubble and even garden rubbish, releasing carbon dioxide or ‘greenhouse gas’ into the atmosphere. Nuclear power and abuse of technology are contributors to air pollution. This brings about intense global warming which in turn leads to heat waves, storms, floods, earthquakes, and significant health hazards. There is an increase in throat, lungs and respiratory infections like bronchitis and asthma, headaches, eye infections, allergies, cancer and tuberculosis.

Water pollution leads to waterborne infections, parasitic diseases, fungal infections, gastrointestinal diseases, typhoid, cholera and many other antibiotic resistant infections. Stagnant water pools can breed mosquitoes that cause dengue, chicken gunia and malaria. Soil can be polluted by metals and salts from mining activities and faulty disposal of mining debris. Inorganic fertilizers can adversely affect the soil by destroying microorganisms that are necessary for the fertility of the soil.

Healthy communities will ensure protection against environmental hazards like noise, air and water pollution, smoke and ultraviolet rays, in many ways.

• Cutting down one’s own use of fossil fuels like coal and oil.
• Cutting down the use of petrol in cars by using lead-free oils like 100% ethanol or Flex Fuel strong hybrid vehicles.
• Cycling, walking, jogging will keep one physically active and using public transport or carpooling will reduce pollution.
• Good waste management by reusing and recycling waste matter, composting, conserving natural resources and reducing soil erosion.
• Avoiding household goods that produce toxic waste and not using non-biodegradable items like plastic.
• Using properly maintained filters for removing toxins and chemicals from drinking water and having clean storage utensils.
• Conserving energy by turning off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances when not in use, using LED bulbs and energy saving appliances. One community in South India follows its own method of Digital Detox. Every evening between 7-8.30 p.m. they switch off TV, electrical appliances, and cell phones so that their children get to read their lessons and do their homework while family members find time to talk to each other.
• By popularizing the use of solar energy. This can save a lot of electricity.
• Afforestation and tree planting can conserve soil and prevent soil erosion. This will also provide green spaces for people to enjoy clean air.
• Stopping the indiscriminate cutting of trees to build roads or railway tracks through green areas. It is important to maintain parks and playgrounds for children with good playing equipment and gymnasiums.

The root of the ecological crisis is human greed. The environment is destroyed for economic gain. Pollution and wanton destruction of trees destroy our natural resources.

The world today is battered by the climate crisis, which has a devastating impact on human lives. It has increased poverty and escalated illnesses. It has caused unrest among people and nations. Nuclear threats and abuse of technology have further sullied the environment. The idea of having Health Communities all over the world is to build a world that everyone irrespective of where they live, lead healthy and productive lives. This can happen only when the G20 nations who are responsible for 80% of emissions, take an active role in responding to the present climate crisis. So far their response has been despicably inadequate. They are ready to point fingers at developing nations insisting that they reduce their use of fossil fuels. At the UNGA meeting, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Gueterres recently suggested the imposition of heavy taxes on fossil fuel companies. He said the money so collected, should be used to fund companies suffering from loss and damage due to climate change, induced by adverse weather changes and ecological disasters.

The words of Thomas Jefferson during the Declaration of American Independence ring true for all nations and people of the world, that “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with inalienable rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.”

It is heartening to note that there are “Healthy Community Foundations” in different regions of the world which give grants to address health inequities and strengthen healthy ecosystems for those communities in need.

All nations must come together to find solutions to clean up this man-made climate chaos. Only then can we envisage a world with health care as its centre. As Benjamin Franklin rightly said, 

“We must all hang together or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

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