Medical Matters: Health professionals have important role to play in climate debate

Should medical professionals be environmentalists as well? Should they be concerned about global warming, rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity and a shortage of resources? And if they are concerned, should they be seen to be activists? Should they advocate on environmental issues and should they add their voices in protest at the degradation of the planet?

I think they should. These matters are far too important to trust to big business and politicians. Doctors and pharmacists have learned to be sceptical of men in suits representing pharmaceutical companies. They have seen too much spin and obfuscation over the years to take dodgy scientific evidence for granted. Medical professionals are advised to be scientific at all times and to base their work on scientific evidence.

While there is a huge consensus among the scientific community on the dangers of global warming and pollution, big business would like you to believe all is well and environmental concerns are unscientific and come from sandal-wearing hippies.

Their tame lobbyists, broadcasters and politicians act as if they have all the facts. Medics are ideally suited to see through this.

Raising awareness

In most communities doctors, pharmacist paramedics and nurses are the most prominent people with scientific training. The Royal College of General Practitioners has said “doctors and other health professionals can provide a powerful example to others in reducing carbon emissions and promoting a healthy, sustainable future”.

It also said that GPs have a role in raising awareness in relation to climate change and health, as well as promoting appropriate lifestyle choices and that this should be seen as part of a wider duty of care.

Medical professionals spend their lives working for the ill, the poor and the marginalised, the people most affected by extreme weather events that cause illness and death. They are at risk of food and water-borne diseases, infectious disease patterns, starvation and the breakdown of social structures and farming.

The World Health Organisation has, since 2008, researched the health effects of climate change. Its director general, Margaret Chan, said: “Signals about what human activity has done to the environment have become increasingly shrill.” They have recognised the impending threat to the human race. Wonca, the world association of GPs, has also become environmentally aware.

In a story used to demonstrate how public-health measures work, a man living by a fast-flowing river spends his days pulling people out as they float past. He represents the emergency service. Another man, seeing this, goes upstream and stops the person throwing the people in. He represents public health.

Much is being thrown in the river these days, literally and figuratively. Water systems everywhere are in danger from pollution.Water is too important to trust to big businesses, which will put profit before sustainability every time.

Many animal species are vanishing, in what may be another great extinction. Any of them could be the canary in the coal mine, signalling that humans are next. As numbers of bees and pollinators collapse in Ireland we have come to realise that we breathe the same air, drink the same water and get our food from the same soil as the insects.

It is easy to get discouraged and frightened by all the bad news, but we can make a start.

The Irish Doctors for the Environment website shows how we can take the first steps to help. The HSE, a huge employer, uses enormous amounts of energy and resources. It is ideally placed to show leadership in the area of health and the environment. Some Irish hospitals, including University Hospital Galway, Sligo and James Connolly Memorial in Blanchardstown, Dublin, are beginning to take sustainability and ecological issues on board. The medical training schools and the colleges of medicine are starting to follow suit.

Ireland’s green image can mean more than shamrocks and shillelaghs .We can show that we value our natural heritage, health and future .

Dr Pat Harrold is a GP in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. Dr Muiris Houston is on leave.