Health workers lead calls for a healthy recovery
May 26, 2020
During the lockdown, voices from many countries and sectors have been speaking up for a better world after COVID-19.
Today, 200 health professionals’ organisations—representing over 40 million doctors, nurses and other health professionals from 90 countries—called for a “healthy recovery” in an open letter to the political leaders of G20 countries.
Health professionals from all over the world
want their voices to be heard in the economic recovery packages now under
consideration. They want to ensure that the proposed incentives and
disincentives do not thrust us back into a world that continues to undermine
human health, and which puts them, their patients and their communities at
unnecessary risk.
Increasing levels of pollution in our air and water have been increasing our
vulnerability to disease for decades, just as deforestation and climate change
have been increasing a broad number of health risks to humans. And, as COVID-19
has shown, when human health is compromised, the economy suffers.
A healthy recovery is one that recognises that human, economic and planetary health go hand in hand. It is a green recovery, which recognises that good health and thriving economies depend upon the health of the planet. As a first step, recovery plans must focus on boosting low-carbon industries.
Leading medical and scientific experts can help guide the economic recovery packages to ensure that public health is at the core of every decision made. Today’s letter is just the beginning.
Our partner MISSION 2020 is working closely with the World Health Organization, the Global Climate and Health Alliance and the Global Summit on Climate Change, to elevate the voices of health professionals for a #HealthyRecovery.
You can read the letter here: https://healthyrecovery.net/
