Right2Health ZM

“SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH VS NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU COME FROM”

There is a saying that most of us are guilty tripped to, I.e. “never forget where you come from”.

This phrase typically assuring you to just reflect on your past of lacking and misfortune so that you can be focused on making the present and future opportunity filled with abundance.

For illustration I will use densely populated area I have childhood memories with here in Lusaka (Kanyama). I have an assumption that there is enough pit latrines in kanyama more than there are pit latrines in the whole of Ndola in the Copperbelt. These are latrines that are built without consideration of the recommendations of Atleast 30 meters from a water source.

When we talk about determinants of health let’s not ignore the influence of Water and sanitation, environment and housing on individual and community health. Other determinants for this article’s purpose is Education and Employment.

Now, as one advances in their education, their employment status is automatically expected to improve, I.e formal or informal employment. Employment eventually is equated to drawing of an income (salary) which really is dependent on the education level and experience. Further this influences one’s choices in life. I.e. either to never forget where you came from or move to a less populated area with planned settlement and palatable or at least portable water, with a flushing toilet connected to a sewer system.

Now these are opportunities when in stable employment one can make even in kanyama. The question is, is there any space or is the environment conducive to even sink a borehole in kanyama? The answer lies in the statement. “Never forget where you come from”.