Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem has stated environmental issues such as plastic pollution are driving the rise in cancer and other major diseases. He made the remarks while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Recycled Art Exhibition, organised jointly by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and World Health Organisation (WHO).
Speaking at the ceremony, Health Minister Naseem highlighted the strong link between environment and health, noting even the latest innovations of modern technology are unable to effectively tackle major diseases due to the lack of control of major environmental problems. Noting plastic pollution is one of the leading causes of cancer, the minister said the future needs to be built without plastics in order to make an effective change. He also spoke about ways art and craft can be used to create awareness on such environmental and health risks.
The Recycled Art Exhibition showcases artwork from over 300 students across different schools. The theme for the exhibition is “Our Planet, Our Health”. The exhibition is open at Izzuddeen School until 2200hrs on June 27.