Skip to content
Fullscript leaf logo Sign in
Fullscript logo
Fullscript leaf logo
  • Our platform
    • Practitioner software
    • Pricing
    • Integrations
    • Patients on Fullscript
    • Book a demo
  • Learn
    • Spotlight
    • Protocols
    • Wellness blog
    • Practice resources
    • Webinars
    • Ingredient library
    • Practicing virtually
  • Support
    • Practitioner support
    • Patient help
    • Contact us
    • Or chat with us
Sign in Create account
Mission
—

World Humanitarian Day 2022: A Global Effort to Heal the Health of Our Planet

August 19, 2022
Fact checked
Written by Melissa Muldoon
  1. Wellness blog
  2. World Humanitarian Day 2022: A Global Effort to...

The negative effects of climate change on our planet affect us all each day. Unfortunately, the effects on vulnerable populations are exacerbated. This is exactly what  

World Humanitarian Day 2022 (WHD) aims to change, specifically through climate mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.

In recognition of this important United Nations General Assembly event, we spoke with Sean Hesler, ND, Executive Director of Naturopaths Without Borders (NWB), about his organization’s first-hand experience assisting the vulnerable populations most heavily affected by climate change. 

world humanitarian day 2022 hero image
Dedicated to the people who have devoted their lives for the welfare of others, World Humanitarian Day raises global awareness of humanitarian assistance worldwide.

What is Naturopaths Without Borders?

NWB is an international non-governmental organization that empowers low-resource communities through education, sustainable resources, and naturopathic healthcare. (1)

“ to bridge the health equity gap worldwide through a compassionate model of care extending far beyond one-on-one consultations.” — Sean Hesler, ND    

What is World Humanitarian Day? 

WHD commemorates the 2003 bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq. It was formalized by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009 in an effort to advocate for aid workers and people affected by humanitarian crises.

World Humanitarian Day 2022 theme 

This year’s WHD theme highlights the immediate effects of the climate crisis on the world’s most vulnerable people. The United Nations has created a campaign, #TheHumanRace, which is a global challenge for climate action in solidarity with climate-vulnerable people. (2)

Seeing the direct effects of climate change

While working in different parts of the world, NWB has witnessed the immediate consequences of the climate emergency for the world’s most vulnerable people. 

In a real-world example of particular concern, Dr. Hesler noted the historic drought happening in Haiti. Its impact has been substantial, causing malnutrition and economic misery in the most food-insecure country in the Western Hemisphere. 

The drought is also making it difficult for Haitian farmers to make a living and provide enough food, increasing Haitian reliance on imports and creating a vicious cycle.

Understanding today’s global health concerns

Dr. Hesler deems “massive structural violence,” social forces preventing people from meeting their basic needs, as one of the main challenges we must overcome. (3) Part of NWB’s work includes finding solutions to the root cause of some health concerns. At an environmental level, this includes educating their patients and extended communities about healthier and more sustainable food choices and gardening.

Delivering equitable healthcare to those in need

Through their team of community health and humanitarian workers, by training local health providers, and by engaging in volunteer work, NWB works to improve access to integrative care to low-resource communities around the world, including within the United States. 

As an example, Dr. Hesler said, “our full-time naturopathic doctors and community health workers in Haiti work to educate and care for those most in need—sometimes through professional training, and sometimes through direct education and direct care.”  

Supporting health equity and NWB 

When asked how those interested can help support the world health and humanitarian efforts of NWB, Dr. Hesler noted that “financial support and volunteering are the highest-impact ways to help .”

Health equity is a byproduct of positive change at all levels of society. Those with the time and means can help by directly working to change the systems creating health inequity. As Dr. Hesler put it, “it’s important that we ‘do what we can,’ but to imagine a world where we can accomplish exponentially more by working together!” 

Reducing the effects of climate change

Many vulnerable populations are those who have contributed least to the global climate emergency, yet they are hit the hardest. The efforts of World Humanitarian Day, humanitarian workers, and NWB are important to help our community on a global scale. 

“Individual change is necessary among those of us with choice and agency, but more important is that we work to change, through economic and political systems, the massive structural issues which far outweigh our individual environmental impacts.” — Sean Hesler, ND 

The bottom line

Climate change requires collective action and is a critical component of World Humanitarian Day. The time to come together to take better care of our planet is now.

At Fullscript, we’re committed to supporting aid and health workers of organizations like NWB, who give humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities. In an additional effort to help do our part, we’re also a certified carbon-neutral organization. 

Learn more about Fullscript’s commitment to climate change here. 

Fullscript simplifies supplement dispensing

Create your dispensary today I'm a patient
References
  1. Naturopaths Without Borders. (2022, May 13). Naturopaths Without Borders. https://www.nwb.ngo/ 
  2. United Nations. (n.d.). World Humanitarian Day. https://www.un.org/en/observances/humanitarian-day
  3. Wiley Online Library. (2019). Structural violence, 123–142. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119240716.ch7
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Disclaimer

The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Prev Next
Back to main wellness blog page

Get more resources for your practice

Protocols
Practice resources
Ingredient library
Webinars

Share

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Fullscript content philosophy

At Fullscript, we are committed to curating accurate, and reliable educational content for practitioners and patients alike. Our educational offerings cover a broad range of topics related to integrative medicine, such as supplement ingredients, diet, lifestyle, and health conditions.

Medically reviewed by expert practitioners and our internal Integrative Medical Advisory team, all Fullscript content adheres to the following guidelines:

  1. In order to provide unbiased and transparent education, information is based on a research review and obtained from trustworthy sources, such as peer-reviewed articles and government websites. All medical statements are linked to the original reference and all sources of information are disclosed within the article.
  2. Information about supplements is always based on ingredients. No specific products are mentioned or promoted within educational content.
  3. A strict policy against plagiarism is maintained; all our content is unique, curated by our team of writers and editors at Fullscript. Attribution to individual writers and editors is clearly stated in each article.
  4. Resources for patients are intended to be educational and do not replace the relationship between health practitioners and patients. In all content, we clearly recommend that readers refer back to their healthcare practitioners for all health-related questions.
  5. All content is updated on a regular basis to account for new research and industry trends, and the last update date is listed at the top of every article.
  6. Potential conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed.
Read more

The healthiest cookies you’ll choose today

Our website uses cookies to collect useful information that lets us and our partners support basic functionality, analyze visitor traffic, deliver a better user experience, and provide ads tailored to your interests. Agreeing to the use of cookies is your choice. Learn more

Fullscript logo

We're certified carbon-neutral. It's part of our commitment to helping people get better.

American flag - toggles to show american specific contentUnited States
Canadian flag - toggles to show canada specific contentCanada
Product
  • Practitioner software
  • Integrations
  • Pricing
  • Patients
  • Supplement quality
  • Treatment adherence
  • Catalog
  • Wholesale
Company
  • Spotlight
  • About Fullscript
  • Collective
  • Leadership
  • Culture guide
  • Careers
  • Engineering
  • News
Support
  • Practitioner support
  • Patient help
  • Testimonials
  • General FAQ
  • Patient shipping
  • Wholesale shipping

© Fullscript 2023. All rights reserved.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Customer Support Policy
  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • California Privacy Notice