Supporting healthy First Nations communities through a two-eyed-seeing approach in environmental health
A message from Dr. Kamran Golmohammadi, Medical Officer, Public Health, Office of the Chief Medical Officer; and Casey Neathway, Regional Director, Health Emergency Management and Americas Chair, International Federation of Environmental Health
World Environmental Health Day is an opportunity to recognize the deep connection between people, communities and the environment. For First Nations people, health and wellness is wholistic and interconnected with the health and wellness of the land, waters, air, and relationships that sustain life.
This year’s theme for World Environmental Health Day is “Standing with Science to Protect Communities.” At the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), standing with science means basing our work on both Indigenous knowledge, which is rooted in generations of ancestral wisdom, culture, and connection to the land, and Western knowledge, which is based on scientific research and data. This “Two-Eyed-Seeing Approach” helps us better understand the changes in the environment, respond to emerging health risks, support the partnership and collaborations that allow communities to thrive, and uplift community-driven solutions that can protect First Nations communities in BC from environmental health risks.
Using these complementary knowledge systems, FNHA environmental health professionals work alongside communities to address environmental health priorities including safe drinking water, housing, food security, climate change, and environmental contaminants in ways that respect and reflect First Nations culture, knowledge and priorities.
Examples of this work include the Climate Health Action Program (CHAP) and the Environmental Contaminants Program (ECP).
The CHAP supports BC First Nation-led projects that help strengthen community resilience to the impacts of climate change on health and wellness. Through CHAP funding, communities can conduct assessments, create climate change impact plans, identify local strengths and areas of concern, and build knowledge and skills to support long-term environmental health and community wellness.
The ECP supports BC First Nation community-based research projects that explore the link between human health and environmental contaminants. The program helps communities address local environmental health concerns, supports capacity development, and encourages community-based study by supporting First Nations autonomy over research methodologies and practices.
As climate change and other environmental challenges continue to disproportionately impact First Nations communities, FNHA remains committed to advancing environmental public health practice that is evidence-informed, culturally safe, and grounded in First Nations wisdom. By standing with science and honouring the knowledge carried by First Nations since time immemorial, we can protect communities today and support the wellness of future generations.
Read past Environmental Health Day messages:
https://fnha.ca/community-health-is-supported-by-a-healthy-environment/
