Health and the environment with focus on the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Environmental effects on health are associated with several factors: absent or inadequate environmental health services, such as water supply, sanitation, solid and hazardous waste management and shelter; environmental degradation, such as pollution of air, water and soil, and food contamination; global environmental problems, such as reduction of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems through deforestation, global warming, ozone layer depletion and contamination by persistent organic chemicals; and industrial accidents. The indirect health effects of environmental conditions and changes, such as the implications of a limited episode of food contamination on a country’s food exports, may be more significant than their direct health effects. A significant part of the population of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) suffers from an insecure or low level of income. In 2006 the average GDP per capita in the Region was estimated at only US$ 2030. Moreover, out of 530 million inhabitants, 226 million lived in countries with a GDP per capita less than US$ 1000 [1]. This has far-reaching effects on environmental degradation and impairment of health; poor people are not protected against disease and lack the resources and motivation to protect the environment. The Region is also experiencing rapid urbanization, which leads in many instances to haphazard development. Urban facilities and services are often unplanned and overwhelmed by population growth and overcrowding, resulting in various health hazards. The high regional population growth rate (2.1%) often outpaces the capacity to provide environmental health services, amplifying adverse effects of environmental pollution.