Rakyat Gaza derita penyakit bawaan air - EQA

RAMALLAH: Sekitar 66 peratus rakyat Palestin di Semenanjung Gaza menghidap penyakit bawaan air seperti taun, cirit-birit kronik dan penyakit usus ekoran kekurangan sumber air bersih dan penutupan semua loji penyahgaraman disebabkan pencerobohan berterusan Israel, menurut Pihak Berkuasa Kualiti Alam Sekitar (EQA) wilayah itu.

Pengeboman Israel terhadap saluran kumbahan terutama di Loji Sheikh Radwan, mengakibatkan kejadian banjir hingga mencapai tahap kritikal akibat pengumpulan air hujan dan kebocoran sisa kumbahan, lapor Agensi Berita Palestin WAFA.

EQA dalam satu kenyataan mendedahkan kira-kira 50,000 pokok dan beribu-ribu ekar tanah pertanian, tapak semaian serta kebun turut musnah disebabkan pencerobohan itu hingga membawa kepada pertambahan kawasan gurun, kehilangan biodiversiti, kemerosotan kualiti tanah dan peningkatan pelepasan karbon dioksida.

Pencerobohan itu bukan sahaja menjadi malapetaka kemanusiaan, tetapi turut memusnahkan komponen alam sekitar, menurut EQA. - BERNAMA

Niaga SPOTLIGHT: Costing The Silent Threat of Obesity

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia are a growing burden on the health system, with a number of associated health issues and economic costs.

The annual cost of healthcare for NCDs is estimated to be over RM 9.65 billion. Meanwhile, the cost of disability and loss of healthy life years is estimated to be around RM 100.79 billion. Absenteeism due to NCDs is estimated to cost the Malaysian economy RM 2.6 billion annually.

From the common NCDs, obesity is one of THE most significant health threats, with nearly 20% of the Malaysian population currently classified as obese.

Additionally, more than half of all adults (54%) are overweight or obese. According to the World Obesity Atlas, this figure could rise to 41% in Malaysia by 2035, if preventive action is not taken.

Niaga Spotlight focuses on immediate strategies to address this growing silent threat of Obesity, which also burdens the national healthcare system as well as national productivity levels with significant impacts and costs.