By Malini Morzaria
Leaders must urgently link environmental conservation and human health if they are to prevent future pandemics. The overwhelming evidence is that human health is directly linked to the health of our ecosystems and biosphere.
Economic interests are destroying forests at an alarming rate. When forests are cut down – for timber, mining, beef, or soy – there is increased contact between human and wildlife populations, creating a higher risk for new viruses to spill over.
“The Covid19 pandemic was caused by our relentless destruction of the natural world and exploitation of wild and domestic animals.” Jane Goodall, renowned Primatologist and Anthropologist, said. “We created conditions that enable pathogens to spill-over from animals to people relatively easily. Scientists, studying these zoonotic diseases, have been warning us of the inevitability of a pandemic such as Covid19 for years.”
Goodhall’s keynote message addressed participants of a symposium, ‘Rethinking Pandemic Prevention: Healthy Ecosystems for People and Planet,’ co-hosted by H. E. Per Olsson Fridh, Sweden´s Minister for Development Cooperation, and the coalition of Preventing Pandemics at Source on September 27.
"The Covid19 pandemic was caused by our relentless destruction of the natural world and exploitation of wild and domestic animals"
Prevention at source – crucial missing piece
The international coalition of scientists, conservationists, development, and public health experts’ symposium––a UN General Assembly side event––spotlighted the urgent need for countries and governments to join forces on a comprehensive plan to prevent pandemics at source.
Investments that have been made in pandemic preparedness, containment, and response are important and necessary but not enough. Vaccines and strengthened health systems alone will not prevent future pandemics.
As well, the report recommended
“Greater investment in tropical forest conservation; better biosecurity around livestock and wild animal farms; and the establishment of One Health[i] Platforms are proven to reduce spill-over risk.” Dr Aaron Bernstein, chair of the Scientific Task Force for Preventing Pandemics, explained.
[i] One Health is “the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally, to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment”, as defined by the One Health Initiative
Coherence: Breaking the silos between health and environment
Countries are contributing to and creating great health and economic challenges on a global level by not taking environmental factors into account when planning health actions and vice versa.
“The connection between protection of tropical forests and a reduction of risk of the new emerging infectious diseases should receive support from the highest levels of government.” H.E. Dante Saksono Harbuwono, MD, PhD, Vice Minister of Health for Indonesia, said.
It is widely accepted that we should stop deforestation and protect ecosystems.
Yet, in the last two decades, the planet has lost over 60 million hectares of primary forest within the great tropical forests of the Amazon, the Congo basins, and Southeast Asia to land use change, according to a film premiered at the symposium.
“Countries spend 143 times more financial resources on economic activities that cause deforestation, destroy biodiversity, and contribute to climate change than they do on preserving forests or biodiversity.” Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and Chairperson at the Global Environment Facility, told participants.
“80% of this is for to the agriculture and animal husbandry and the rest on energy, mining, and infrastructure.”[i]
[i] Citing a United Nations Development Agency report.
"Countries spend 143 times more financial resources on economic activities that cause deforestation, destroy biodiversity, and contribute to climate change than they do on preserving forests or biodiversity"
We know what to do
There is good news.
“We looked at the science to chart a comprehensive pathway to prevent pandemics at source, we know how to do it.” Dr Nigel Sizer, Executive Director of the Preventing Pandemics at the Source initiative with Dalberg Catalyst, said.
“By better protecting tropical forests, addressing the trade in life animals, supporting the rights of indigenous and local communities who live with and protect forests and wildlife and through safer and more humane animal husbandry.”
The idea that governments, and institutions need to rethink pandemics, unite, be coherent with our actions and prevent spill-over of diseases at source, was the main theme of the webinar. It was recognised by the co-host and leading officials who participated in the symposium.
“Restoring our relationship with the biosphere through taking climate action and halting biodiversity loss is an urgent task for humanity.” Per Olsson Fridh, Minister for International Development Cooperation in Sweden, said. “To successfully prevent pandemics, we cannot afford to overlook the connection to nature and biodiversity protection and vice versa.”
It’s crucial to scale up, to break the silos of environment and health – linking them at all levels and act now.
Bernstein offers a model example from the report. In the Indonesian habitat of critically endangered Bornean Orangutans, local communities were forced to choose between their own health and the health of the primary forest.
Comprehensively integrating the health and environment’s needs resulted in a 90% reduction in illegal logging by participating households and an improvement in health indicators.
“There are many blueprints for change. We can move forward in a more ethical and sustainable direction. But will we have the will to take action, now before it’s too late?” Goodall’s message, concluded.
Pay now or pay later?
In monetary terms – to make a significant impact on where spill-over is most likely and biodiversity robust – scientists suggest an investment of US$ 20-30 billion a year would be transformational for lives and livelihoods.
“Recognising that every dollar spent on conserving nature is a dollar spent on conserving ourselves is the bigger global challenge.” Bernstein, said.
Everyone agrees, the amounts are small compared to the millions of lives lost to and the trillions of dollars spent on the Covid19 pandemic response.
“Leaders have to be honest and say we pay now, or we pay later. The cost of not acting now is so much greater. Whatever we do has to be geared towards prevention on the broad front.” Helen Clark New Zealand’s former prime minister, said.
The Covid19 pandemic highlighted global inequities, where the poorest communities bore the brunt in preparedness and response in terms of the availability of vaccines, testing kits or protective gear.
“African countries are looking to invest more in disease prevention at source rather than only response.” Yewande Alimi, Director, Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, who was part of the Harvard Task force, said.
If prevention at source is taken seriously and acted upon now, the global playing field for future pandemics could be levelled.
Panellists all agreed preventing disease at source was a “win-win” for our health and ecosystems – “a stitch in time saves nine.”[i]
[i] Quoting Helen Clark
Malini Morzaria is freelance writer and multimedia content creator. Seasoned in crisis communication, strategy, campaigns, and advocacy, she has worked with organisations like Greenpeace, Médecins Sans Frontières, ZDF TV and the European Commission.
"Mwanamkubwa wa Umoja wa Mataifa, Malala Morsi amesema viongozi wanapaswa ""kuunganisha haraka uhifadhi wa mazingira na afya ya binadamu ikiwa wanataka kuzuia janga la janga la kimbari.""" """Uhakika mkubwa ni kwamba afya ya binadamu ina uhusiano wa moja kwa moja na afya ya mifumo yetu ya ikolojia na mazingira." Maslahi ya kiuchumi yanaharibu misitu kwa kiwango chenye kuogopesha. Wakati misitu inapokatwa - kwa ajili ya mbao, uchimbaji madini, nyama ya ng'ombe, au soya - kuna mawasiliano yaliyoongezeka kati ya idadi ya wanadamu na wanyama wa porini, na kuunda hatari kubwa zaidi ya virusi vipya kuenea. "Gonjwa la Covid-19 lilitokana na uharibifu wetu usio na mwisho wa ulimwengu wa asili na unyonyaji wa wanyama wa porini na wa nyumbani, ""alisema Jane Goodall, mtaalamu maarufu wa primatolojia na anthropolojia." <unk>Tuliunda hali ambazo huwezesha vimelea kuenea kutoka kwa wanyama hadi kwa watu kwa urahisi. "Wanasayansi wanaochunguza magonjwa ya wanyama wamekuwa wakituonya kwa miaka mingi juu ya kutoepukika kwa janga kama Covid-19 ""Ujumbe mkuu wa Goodhall ulizungumzia washiriki wa mkutano wa ""Kufikiria upya kuzuia janga: Mifumo ya ikolojia yenye afya kwa watu na sayari"" ulioandaliwa na H.E. Per Olsson-Frid, Waziri wa Ushirikiano wa Maendeleo wa Sweden, na muungano wa ""Kuzuia Janga katika Chanzo.""" "Gonjwa la Covid-19 lilisababishwa na uharibifu wetu usio na mwisho wa ulimwengu wa asili na unyonyaji wa wanyama wa porini na wa nyumbani ""Ukingaji katika chanzo - kipande muhimu kinachokosekana ""Mkutano wa kimataifa wa wanasayansi, watetezi wa mazingira, maendeleo, na wataalamu wa afya ya umma ""mkutano wa pande zote wa Mkutano Mkuu wa Umoja wa Mataifa ulionyesha hitaji la haraka kwa nchi na serikali kuungana kwa mpango wa kina wa kuzuia janga." """Uwekezaji ambao umefanywa katika kujitayarisha, kuzuia na kukabiliana na janga ni muhimu na muhimu, lakini haitoshi." Chanjo na mifumo ya afya iliyoimarishwa peke yake haitazuia magonjwa ya janga ya baadaye. "Hii ni pamoja na ""Uwekezaji mkubwa katika uhifadhi wa misitu ya kitropiki, usalama bora wa kibiolojia karibu na mifugo na mashamba ya wanyama wa porini, na kuanzishwa kwa One Health Platforms, ambazo zimethibitishwa kupunguza hatari ya kuenea kwa virusi vya corona,"" alisema Aaron Bernstein, mwenyekiti wa Kikosi cha Kazi cha Sayansi cha Kuzuia Magonjwa ya Kuambukiza." "Usalama Mmoja ni ""jitihada za ushirikiano za taaluma nyingi zinazofanya kazi ndani, kitaifa, na kimataifa, kufikia afya bora kwa watu, wanyama na mazingira yetu,"" kama ilivyofafanuliwa na One Health Initiative Coherence: ""Kuvunja silos kati ya afya na mazingira"" Nchi zinachangia na kuunda changamoto kubwa za afya na kiuchumi katika kiwango cha kimataifa kwa kutochukua mambo ya mazingira katika akaunti wakati wa kupanga hatua za afya na kinyume chake." "Uhusiano kati ya ulinzi wa misitu ya kitropiki na kupunguza hatari ya magonjwa mapya ya kuambukiza inapaswa kupokea msaada kutoka ngazi za juu za serikali. """ Dante Sassono Harbowono, Daktari wa afya wa Indonesia Inakubaliwa sana kwamba tunapaswa kukomesha ukataji-miti na kulinda mifumo ya ikolojia. Katika miaka 20 iliyopita, dunia imepoteza zaidi ya hekta milioni 60 za misitu ya kitropiki ya Amazon, Congo na Asia ya Kusini-Mashariki kwa sababu ya mabadiliko ya matumizi ya ardhi, kulingana na filamu iliyotolewa katika mkutano huo. "Nchi zinatumia rasilimali za kifedha mara 143 zaidi kwenye shughuli za kiuchumi zinazosababisha ukataji misitu, uharibifu wa bioanuwai, na kuchangia mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa kuliko wanavyofanya kwa kuhifadhi misitu au bioanuwai,"" alisema Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji na Mwenyekiti wa Mfuko wa Mazingira Ulimwenguni." "Kutumia asilimia 80 ya fedha hizo katika kilimo na ufugaji wa mifugo na asilimia 80 nyingine katika sekta za nishati, madini na miundombinu, ""alisema ripoti ya Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Maendeleo." "Nchi zinatumia mara 143 zaidi ya rasilimali za kifedha kwenye shughuli za kiuchumi zinazosababisha ukataji misitu, uharibifu wa bioanuwai, na kuchangia mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa kuliko wanavyofanya kwa kuhifadhi misitu au bioanuwai. """ "Tumekuwa tukichunguza sayansi ili kuunda njia kamili ya kuzuia janga la virusi vya corona, tunajua jinsi ya kufanya hivyo, ""alisema Dk Nigel Sizer, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa mpango wa kuzuia janga la virusi vya corona katika chanzo cha Dalberg Catalyst." "Kwa kulinda vizuri misitu ya kitropiki, kukabiliana na biashara ya wanyama hai, kuunga mkono haki za jamii za asili na za mitaa ambao wanaishi na kulinda misitu na wanyama wa porini na kupitia ufugaji wa wanyama salama na wa kibinadamu, ""Wazo kwamba serikali na taasisi zinahitaji kufikiria tena magonjwa ya janga, kuungana, kuwa na mwingiliano na vitendo vyetu na kuzuia kuenea kwa magonjwa kwenye chanzo." Ilikuwa kutambuliwa na co-mwenyeji na viongozi wa viongozi ambao walishiriki katika mkutano huo. "Kurejesha uhusiano wetu na mazingira kwa kuchukua hatua za hali ya hewa na kuzuia upotezaji wa viumbe hai ni kazi ya haraka kwa wanadamu,"" alisema Waziri wa Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa wa Maendeleo Per Olsson-Fridg." "Kwa mafanikio kuzuia janga, hatuwezi kumudu kupuuza uhusiano na asili na ulinzi wa bioanuwai na kinyume chake, ni muhimu kuongeza, kuvunja silos ya mazingira na afya, kuunganisha yao katika ngazi zote na kutenda sasa. """ Bernstein hutoa mfano wa mfano kutoka kwa ripoti hiyo. Katika mazingira ya Indonesia ya orangutan wa Borneo, jamii za eneo hilo zililazimika kuchagua kati ya afya yao na afya ya msitu wa asili. Kuunganisha mahitaji ya afya na mazingira kulisababisha kupunguzwa kwa 90% ya ukataji haramu wa miti na nyumba zinazoshiriki na uboreshaji wa viashiria vya afya. <unk>Kuna michoro mingi ya mabadiliko. Tunaweza kusonga mbele katika mwelekeo wa maadili na endelevu zaidi. Lakini je, tutakuwa na nia ya kuchukua hatua, sasa kabla ya kuchelewa mno? <unk> Ujumbe wa Goodall, alimaliza. Kulipa sasa au kulipa baadaye? Kwa maneno ya kifedha, ili kufanya athari kubwa ambapo spill-over ni uwezekano mkubwa na bio-tofauti imara, wanasayansi wanasema uwekezaji wa dola za Marekani bilioni 20-30 kwa mwaka itakuwa mabadiliko kwa maisha na maisha. "Kutambua kwamba kila dola inayotumiwa kuhifadhi asili ni dola inayotumiwa kuhifadhi sisi wenyewe ni changamoto kubwa zaidi ya kimataifa. """ """Wengi wanakubaliana kwamba kiasi hicho ni kidogo ikilinganishwa na mamilioni ya maisha yaliyopotea na trilioni za dola zilizotumika katika kukabiliana na janga la Covid-19." <unk>Viongozi wanapaswa kuwa wanyoofu na kusema tunalipa sasa, au tunalipa baadaye. Gharama ya kutotenda sasa ni kubwa zaidi. """Kila kitu tunachofanya lazima kielekezwe kwenye kuzuia kwa njia pana,"" alisema Helen Clark, waziri mkuu wa zamani wa New Zealand." Janga la COVID-19 lilionyesha ukosefu wa usawa ulimwenguni, ambapo jamii maskini zaidi zililazimika kubeba mzigo mkubwa katika kujitayarisha na kukabiliana na hali hiyo kwa suala la upatikanaji wa chanjo, vifaa vya kupima au vifaa vya kinga. "Nchi za Afrika zinatafuta kuwekeza zaidi katika kuzuia magonjwa kwenye chanzo badala ya kujibu tu, ""Yewande Alimi, Mkurugenzi wa Upinzani wa Antimicrobial (AMR), Kituo cha Kudhibiti na Kuzuia Magonjwa, ambaye alikuwa sehemu ya Kikosi cha Kazi cha Harvard, alisema." Kama kuzuia chanzo cha ugonjwa huo utachukuliwa kwa uzito na kutekelezwa sasa, uwanja wa michezo wa kimataifa kwa janga la baadaye unaweza kulinganishwa. "Wanachama wote walikubali kuzuia ugonjwa katika chanzo ilikuwa ""kushinda-kushinda"" kwa afya yetu na mifumo ya ikolojia. ""Kushona kwa wakati huokoa tisa.""" Akiwa na uzoefu katika mawasiliano ya mgogoro, mkakati, kampeni, na utetezi, amefanya kazi na mashirika kama Greenpeace, Madaktari Bila Mpaka, ZDF TV na Tume ya Ulaya.