A message from our Secretary General on this year's World Health Day theme.

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Dear St John people,

Our planet, our health is the theme of this year’s World Health day, which marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation over 70 years ago.

The theme puts the spotlight on the importance of a clean and healthy plan for well-being and health. Many of the diseases which continue to claim countless lives around the globe stem from polluted air, water or land. Cholera is carried in water, air pollution causes respiratory diseases and many cancers can be attributed to environmental factors.

The continuing climate crisis, and the more recent Covid pandemic, have underlined again the links between our health and our environment. They have also shown the importance of working together to tackle global challenges. At St John, we strive to ensure that our programmes and interventions are delivered with the least possible detrimental effect on the environment. St John ambulance operations around the world are looking at cleaner, greener operating models to reduce their carbon footprints.

We must all continue to examine our supplies, travel and office accommodation through the prism of their impact on the environment. Making small changes at the local and national level can make a huge difference in a global organisation like ours.

St John has never been more relevant or more necessary. I hope you will all take a moment this World Health Day to celebrate the contribution you are making to make the world a healthier place. As we continue to work in pursuit of our St John mission, please continue to keep the health of our planet at the front of your minds, too.   

Susan le Jeune d’Allegeershecque
Secretary General

Read more about the Order of St John.

07 April 2022