Today, Partners of the Americas (Partners) commemorates World Health Day, a global health awareness day celebrated every April 7, the day the World Health Organization (WHO) was founded in 1948.
This year, the WHO is focusing its commemoration on the urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy. In Haiti specifically, nearly half of women of childbearing age and two-thirds of children aged 6 to 59 months suffer from anemia. The increase in CO2 linked to climate change is likely to further aggravate micronutrient deficiencies in the years to come.
Food production is likely to decrease as well as the availability of micronutrients in certain crops including wheat, rice, maize, vegetables, etc. According to the United Nations Development Program, Small Island Developing States, such as Haiti, will experience a significant drop in areas suitable for many crops due to climate change.
These are pressing issues for Partners and its project Ranfose Abitid Nitrisyon pou Fè Ogmante Sante Program (RANFOSE) in Haiti, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). RANFOSE seeks to address nutrient deficiencies through food fortification, which consists of adding a small amount of micronutrients to a staple food such as vegetable oil, butter, flour, salt, or milk, which is one of the most effective ways to fight malnutrition.
While RANFOSE has achieved important results in its implementation and continues to do so, Partners knows that projects and initiatives like RANFOSE alone cannot be the sole response to the changing climate and weather patterns and its repercussions on food insecurity. Change can start small. Partners invites you to join the WHO and its five-point plan:
- Walk or pedal to work at least one day a week or choose public transportation.
- Change to a renewable energy provider; do not heat your rooms over 70.7℉; turn off the light when not in the room.
- Buy your fresh groceries from local producers and avoid highly processed foods and beverages.
- Tobacco is a killer and a polluter. Stop consuming tobacco.
- Buy less plastic; use recyclable grocery bags.
We invite you to be the change and help keep yourself and our planet healthy this World Health Day!