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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year 2012

Happy New Year to readers and user of this blog. I wish you will contribute in safeguarding and protecting our environment from any hazard[s] that may arise from your activities, so as to live in a free stress and disease environment. Thanks

Thursday, December 8, 2011

National Guidelines on Environmental Health Practice in Nigeria

By Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria 2007

1.0 Preamble
1.1 One will recall with nostalgia during the colonial and post colonial era, the efforts at keeping our environment clean through social effort in self-determination, self motivation and self reliance with the community concept of full participation. These efforts were spearheaded by the then Sanitary Inspector who moved from house to house enforcing Environmental Health (EH) services and EH practice has deteriorated in Nigeria from the standard set by the British colonial masters to where we are today due to the general neglect of the sub-sector by both succeeding governments and the general society over the years.

1.2 It is also on record that the Sanitary Inspectors now known as Environmental Health Officers (EHO) were the major motivators who moved from house-to-house to inspect premises, educate household members on sanitation and hygiene matters, caused nuisances to be abated and also enforced necessary environmental health related laws and regulations.

1.3 The combined efforts of the household and community members, supported by government in those days yieled huge success. Some of these were the eradication of diseases like yaws in 1930s and small pox in the 70s, the drastic reduction of malaria associated morbidity and mortality due to the emphases on elimination of possible mosquito breeding sites.

1.4 The recognition and powers granted the sanitary inspectors (now EHOs) in those days were the sole motivating factor that propelled them to work assiduously to monitor and maintain the integrity of our environment and promote public health and safety. The draw-back on environmental health structures of those days just like what happened in the Roman Empire before the industrial revolution brought us to where we are today. In essence, the call for reintroduction of sanitary inspection and sanitary inspectors in Nigeria today lend credence to the enormous contribution of Sanitary Inspectors to public healthy and environmental integrity.

1.5 The issue now is what went wrong and what can be done to rectify the situation and bring back the glory of EH in Nigeria.

1.6 First, by providence, EH has been recognized as a profession in Nigeria through an Act of parliament the Environmental Health Officers (Registration etc) Act 11 of 2002. The Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria has been established to regulate the profession. What needs to be done is for all Nigerians to adopt EH consciousness and fall back on what was done right in those days, which worked well for our public health and environmental integrity.

1.7 Second, EH services must been seen as public good that need to be protected and the practice guided to enable it contribute to national development. The National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy has outlined the need to empower people, promote private enterprise and change the way people do their work to reduce poverty and inequality. A good platform for achieving this is a disciplined environmental health culture, which provides the opportunity for optimal health and aesthetic environment.

1.8 Third, government should take the leadership role by providing enabling environment and necessary regulations and laws to drive the process. all over the world, government has taken bold steps to put structures for orderly conduct and practice of environmental health services. The present government has taken the first step by enacting the Environmental Health Officer Registration Act. What need to done further is for government to enact and Environmental Health Control and Enforcement Act to provide legal instrument for EH practice; an instrument to enable the practitioners which has been defined to mean persons trained and registered to carry out EH functions, to do their work effectively.

1.9 Last, the practitioners must rise to the challenge and justify the call by Nigerians for the reintroduction of sanitary inspector. What this means is that the practitioners must see themselves as agents of change for the overall benefit of Nigerians and sustainable development
.
1.10 This practice guidelines is aimed at providing basic principles and step-by-step procedure for conducting environmental health services in Nigeria. It is our hope that the practitioners will see the document as a daily companion to provide working guide for their functions. The guidelines are issued by EHORECON in pursuance to applicable sections if Act 11 of 2002, and EHPR 2007 and other applicable laws and regulations.

2.0 Introduction

2.1 Environmental Health (EH) has been defined as the control of all factors in man’s physical environment which exercise, or may exercise, a deleterious effect on his physical development, health or survival. Environmental health has been defined recently as comprising of those aspects of human health, including quality of life, which is determined by physical, biological, chemical, social and physiological factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling and preventing these factors that can potentially affect, adversely the health of present and future generations. Environmental health programmes are organized community efforts to monitor and modify man environment relationships in the interest of better health.

2.2 Some functions of EH are: sanitation inspection of premises, control of communicable diseases, disposal of waste i.e. garbage, sewage and gaseous wastes including such special wastes like toxic and hazardous substances, potable water supply, good and sanitary housing condition, food sanitation, personal hygiene, pest and rodents control, air pollution control and control of noise pollution, etc.

2.3 Environmental health has continued to play a major role in disease prevention, control and the substance of environmental integrity. Therefore as a broad concept in public health it is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organized efforts of the society. The outcome of environmental health organization is the prevention, detection and control of environmental hazards, which affect human health.

2.4 The world authority on health matters- the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified and listed EH functions to include:
i. Waste management
ii. Food hygiene and control
iii. Pest and vector control
iv. Environmental health control of housing and sanitation
v. Epidemiological investigation and control
vi. Air quality management
vii. Occupational health and safety
viii. Water resources management and sanitation
ix. Noise control
x. Protection of recreational environment
xi. Radiation control and health
xii. Control of frontiers, air and sea ports and border crossing
xiii. Pollution control and abatement
xiv. Educational activities (health promotion and education)
xv. Promotion and enforcement of environmental health quality standards
xvi. Collaborative efforts to study impact assessment. (EHIA).

2.5 Before we degenerated to the level we are, EH practitioners were performing all the functions listed and the results were obvious. It is true that the performance of these duties has changed over the years due to prevailing circumstances, environmental factors, and the level of environmental pollutants due to increase population, increase economic activities and industrialization.

2.6 As these changes occur, there is need to regulate the practice ad provide necessary guidelines for the practitioners.

2.7 Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines to Register Environmental Health Officers, licensed operators of Environmental Health services to ensure a high standard of hygiene and sanitation their service delivery. Specifically the objectives of these guidelines are to:
i. List the functions of EH
ii. Provide procedures on how to carry out the listed functions
iii. State who should carry out the functions listed.

2.8 Scope and Application

2.8.1 The document applies to all registered Environmental Health Officers, licensed operators and providers of environmental health services as well as the general public.

2.8.2 In these guidelines, references to specify requirements under the relevant legislations are made. Failure to comply with these requirements shall constitute an offence under the relevant laws and regulations.

2.8.3 These guidelines are not a law but intended to provide operators with additional information and guidance on their day-to-day operation to achieve the objectives for which environmental health profession is established.

2.9 Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the members of the profession, licensed operators and providers of environmental health services to ensure that:
a. The premises of its operation is clean and hygienic
b. The services rendered to clients meet minimum professional standard required as specified in the professional code of ethics.
c. Persons employed for the operation, management and supervision of their activities have adequate qualifications, experience and training
d. Persons employed are medically examined and fit; and
e. Measures are taken to preserve the health and well-being if employees and integrity of the environment
f. Ideas are shared ad exchanged for the promotion of the profession. For this purpose every member and licensed operator shall belong to the Environmental Health Practitioners Association of Nigeria (EHPAN) and a learned society approved by the council.
g. Ensure documentary evidence of services rendered using the form in appendix or as shall be designed and circulated from time to time.
h. Supply needed data into the National Environmental Health Information Management System (EHIMS)

2.10 The council hopes that the guidelines will service as reference material to guide best practice and remove any ambiguity in these functional and operational areas, and further empowers the practitioners to perform their functions effectively.

2.11 The foregoing sets out the framework for the national EH practice guidelines, in Nigeria. The Guidelines are provided for each of the functions listed and establishes minimum requirements for every operator in the sub-sector.

3.0 Waste Management

3.1 Introduction

3.1.1 A lot has been written about the problem of refuse disposal and sewage disposal in Nigeria. This is one problem that is noticed by every one in the society especially in the urban areas. The problem is due to the failure of the various city authorities to plan and manage the mounting refuse heaps in various street comers.

3.1.2 Most drainage channels are blocked by refuse leading to flooding and providing stagnant water, which breed mosquitoes. Refuse heaps in our urban centres blithe the aesthetic nature of our otherwise beautiful cities.

3.1.3 Rodents and other disease causing germs including such reptiles as snakes find home as well as sources of food in these heaps.

3.1.4 The refuse and other wastes generated are only moved away from our consciousness but not disposed in a manner as to promote public health. The wastes most of the time are burned at the dumpsites releasing toxic and hazardous substances such as dioxins and furans, which are cancer causing agents into the atmosphere.

3.2 Solid Waste

3.2.1 Collection at household/premises level. Waste collection at point of generation still remains a major problem in our communities. Waste collection at this level shall conform to the following.

3.2.2 All premises shall be swept and kept clean all times by the occupier and residues shall be in a sanitary manner.

3.2.3 All solid waste matter shall be collected and stored in a sanitary dustbin and or polythene bags with appropriate colour coding as described in National Environmental Health Practice Regulation (NEHPR 2007)

Appendix I

3.2.4 Collection: Only licensed solid waste collection companies shall engage in solid waste collection using appropriate vehicle clearly marked as described in the NEHPR 2007.

3.2.5 Every operator applying for waste collection licence shall specify the class of licence required as in appendix 2. Operators requiring a class A licence shall in addition show evidence or either a subsisting contract with an appropriate waste disposal facility operator or own a facility for the final disposal of the waste. Every operator shall maintain a minimum waste collection materials and equipment in appendix 3.

3.2.6 Transportation of solid waste to disposal facilities or transfer station shall be carried out with appropriate vehicle in a manner that will eliminate nuisance including spilling on the streets etc. vehicles to be used for waste transportation shall be covered in such a way as to prevent spilling and shall be clearly marked as described in the NEHPR 2007, appendix 4.

3.2.7 Disposal of solid waste shall be in an approved facility, bearing in mind the principle of waste separations. No waste shall e disposed in a facility that is not approved for the type of waste in question. Waste disposal facilities shall be constructed, maintained and run in a manner that will prevent hazards of health, environment including pollution of surface and ground water. Only licensed operators shall engage in the management of waste disposal facilities. All waste disposal facility owners shall fall into one of the categories in appendix 5. For this purpose, waste collectors and waste disposal facility operators shall apply to the council for licence in appropriate application forms.

3.2.8 All EHOs on premises inspection shall ensure that solid waste collection storage, transportation and disposal are carried out in a manner to minimize body contact and prevent the transmission of communicable disease.

3.3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF WASTE GENERATOR AND COLLECTORS

3.3a GENERAL REQUIREMENT

i. Only licensed waste collectors are to collect and convey refuse for disposal. The generator himself is however allowed to convey his own waste for disposal

3.4 REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PREMISE

i. Waste generators should actively practice waste recycling at source. Waste should first be segregated into recyclables and non-recyclables. The non-recyclables should where possible be further segregated into incinerable waste and non-incinerable waste.

ii. Each category of waste must be contained in proper and identifiable receptacles such as bins, contains or ags

3.5 REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS PREMISES (INCLUDING FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS) AND PREMISES HAVING BIN CENTRES
i. All waste must be stored in approved containers or receptacles with good fitting covers. Such containers or receptacles must be kept within the premises or in proper bin centre.
ii. containers for organic waste must be washed regularly to prevent smell nuisance and fly breeding. The bin centres must also be cleansed regularly.

3.6 REQUIREMENT FOR PREVENT DOMESTIC PREMISES

i. All waste from households must be contained in proper plastic garbage bags.

ii. Bagged waste shall not be placed outside the premises overnight but should only be brought out from the premises before 9 a.m. for collection on predetermined collection days.

iii. bagged waste may be contained in proper refuse bins fitted with covers. however, such bins when emptied must be kept within the premises and not along roads or pavements.

3.7 Liquid Waste/Sewage

3.7.1 All liquid waste including wastewater shall be treated to a level as specified in the relevant guidelines and standard for Environmental Pollution Control in Nigeria (FEPA) 1991 or as may be amended.

3.7.2 Only a licensed sewage collector with approved vehicle or vessels shall transport sewage/wastewater.

3.7.3 The Environmental Health Authority shall ensure safe disposal of all sewage and wastewater in an approved disposal facility.

3.7.4 Every premises shall have suitable and adequate number of latrines/toilets as contained in the Policy Guidelines on excreta and sewage management of the Federal Ministry of Environment, 2005.

3.7.5 All such sanitary facility in any public places shall have signs displayed in strategic locations within the premises indicating their location to the general public. Such facility (ies) shall be kept in an hygiene state at all times; providing adequate privacy for users.

3.7.6 The regular collection and emptying of septic tanks and other sources of sewage shall only be carried out by licensed operators. The equipment used shall conform to applicable government regulations. For this purpose, intending operator shall apply for licence in the appropriate application form.

3.7.7 The Environmental Health Officer responsible for an area shall in collaboration with other stakeholder designate a temporary disposal site for sewage (where no treatment plant exists). With the registration of dislodging companies, it shall be mandatory for such companies to develop a plan for the construction of a sewage treatment facility (Sewage farm) in the LGA or use the facility if it exists in an adjourning LGA. The emptying of sludge in any are not designated for such a purpose shall attract stiff penalties including prosecution and possible loss of operational permit.

4.0 Food and Control

4.1 It is the process of handling food in hygienic way from processing to consumption in a wholesome manner so as to ensure its quality and to protect public health. One hardly hears of this very important sanitary obligation in our various cities. Food hygiene is an environmental health requirement. The activities under this function include the inspection of food preparation premises prior to commencement of operation, licensing of the food premises after satisfaction of the minimum requirement for such a licence, safe transportation of food, ensuring that the food vendors are medically fit to handle food meant for public consumption. All these activities constitute environmental health function.

4.4.1 Food shall be produced, processed, transported, stored and distributed in a manner so as to avoid contamination and to protect the health of the consumer.

4.4.2 Cooked food shall be served hot, and not below 600C

4.4.3 All Food Establishment operator shall maintain a valid permit.

4.4.4 All opening in food premises shall be screened to prevent flies and other vermin and all the external doors shall be made self-closing

4.4.5 Every Food premises shall have adequate toilet facility and/or access to toilet facility within a reasonable distance from the premises.

4.4.6 Wash-hand that allow for easy cleansing shall be provided for individual use.

4.4.7 Wiping cloths/hand towels shall be provided for individual customers and where not possible disposal wiping materials shall be provided.

4.4.8 A food premises shall have adequate potable water supply at all times.

4.4.9 Every food handler shall maintain high level of personal hygiene at all times.

4.4.10 Every food operator, handler including vendor shall be medically examined and issued with Medical Certificate of Fitness, renewable every six (6) months and show evidence of attendance of approved training.

4.4.11 The owner(s) of a food premises including mobile food unit shall ensure wholesomeness of food in such premises or unit and assume responsibility that the establishment operates in full compliance with all applicable environmental health regulations and laws.

4.4.12 Bread and other such confectioneries shall not have the bakery without being wrapped and properly labeled.

4.4.13 Vehicle used for transporting bread and other confectionaries shall be painted white both in the interior and exterior of such vehicle. The name and address of such bakery and other distinguishing marks shall be written in a green lettering in line with Appendix 4.

4.4.14 All ready to eat foods including confectionaries shall not be exposed to contamination.

4.4.15 No cooked or ready to eat food shall be carried or served from a container not approved by the Environmental Health Authority of the area.

5.0 Pest and Vector Control

5.1 Pest and vector control is aimed at reducing man-pest/vector-contact so as to maintain and promote public health. therefore, every occupier in every premises ahll take all measures to exclude pest and vector from such premises so as to minimize man-pest/vector-contact.

5.2 Every premises shall be rid of pest of public health importance.

5.3 Every commercial premises including schools, offices, hotels, hospitals, ware-houses, and hostels, etc and such other similar facilities shall be disinfested on quarterly (every three months) basis but al least once every six months in accordance with NEHPR 2007.

5.4 Every premises so disinfested shall be issued with a certificate of disinfections as in appendix 6 duly signed by the Environmnetal Health Officer who carried out supervised such disinfestations using the appropriate form. A report shall also be issued to the client stating the target pest treated as well as the chemicals used.

5.5 Any person or company wishing to engage in the business of Public Health Pest Control shall apply to and obtain operation licence from the Council using the form in appendix 7.

5.6 Any person or company granted a licence shall obtain an Operational Permit from Environmental Health Authority of the Local Government in which he intends to operate, and for that purpose, pay a prescribed fee.

5.7 Control measures for pest control shall be as contained in section 7 of the Policy Guidelines on Pest and Vector control 2005, issued by Federal Ministry of Environment, or any other provision in that behalf that may be in force.

5.8 No person or company shall be allowed to display, sell or distribute any pesticide unless those approved by authorized Government agency.

5.9 Any person wishing to sell or display for sale such chemical shall obtain a permit issued by the appropriate authority.

6.0 Environmental Health Aspect of Housing

6.1 The purpose of housing is to minimize physical and biological hazards in the environment and to promote the health and well-being of the inhabitants. Houses shall therefore be constructed, maintained and occupied in a manner as to ensure optimal physical, physiological and psychological needs of the occupants.

6.2 Every premises shall be used only for purpose(s) for which it was approved.

6.3 Every premises shall be maintained in such a way as to prevent structural defects or occurrence of nuisance(s).

6.4 Every room in a premises shall be built to an approved standard and in such a way as to allow for natural lighting and ventilation.

6.5 Every premises shall be built so as to allow for the minimum open space between existing building as contained in relevant laws and regulations.

6.6 Every room in a premises shall be adequately ventilated and for this purpose the window(s) opening directly outside shall not be less than one-eight(?) of the floor area.

6.7 Every owner of new premise shall apply for and obtain a certificate of fitness for Habitation as in schedule 1 of EHPR 2007 before occupation (Appendix 8). This certificate shall be issued on presentation of a satisfactory report of inspection of such premises by a licensed EHO. The certificate shall be issued by the Environmental Health Authority in charge of the area where the premises is situated and for this purpose pay a prescribed fee.

6.8 Every premises shall be inspected and issued with certificate of fitness for Continued Habitation (Appendix 9) of certification of fitness for continues uses (Appendix 9) as the case may be once every three years in line with NEHPR 2007.

6.9 No alteration of existing premises shall be carried out without the knowledge of the EHO in charge of the area.

6.10 Every EHO shall enforce the provisions of the following legislation as authorized under the relevant sections of NEHPR 2007 in his area of jurisdiction:

i. The National Environmental Protection (Effluent Limitation Regulation 1991)

ii. The National Environmental Protection (Pollution Abatement in Industries and facilities Generating Wastes) Regulation 1991.

iii. National Environmental Protection Management of Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste Regulations 1991.

iv. Such other applicable or related laws and regulations.

7.0 SANITATION OF HOSPITALITY, RECREATION AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES

7.1 The construction of hotel, motel, recreational facilities, saloons, beauty saloon, lodging, and boarding, school, hospital, etc and other similar facilities shall conform to the standards and guidelines as prescribed by the relevant government authority. Accordingly, every such facilities shall;

i. Be suitably sited as to eliminate nuisances and prevent contamination;
ii. Have available of adequate water supply for cleaning
iii. Have adequate drainage facilities
iv. Be constructed of durable materials to protect patrons from any hazard and exposure to the elements; and
v. Have facilities for maintenance of sanitation such as cleaning and elimination of harborages of vermin.

7.2 Such establishment shall only be opened for public patronage after the presentation of a health status report for the premises duly signed by a licensed EHO. The Environmental Health Authority of the LGA where the premises is situated shall on acceptance of such a Health Status Report issued either a certificate of fitness for use, certificate of fitness for habitation, or certificate of fitness for continued habitation as the case may be to the owner of such a premises.

7.3 All such establishments shall ensure provision of adequate water supply, toilet and bath facilities in accordance with standards set in the National Sanitation Policy 2005.

7.4 Quarterly and or periodic insect and vermin control and other sanitary measures shall be undertaken to exterminate vectors of disease.

7.5 All persons employed whose jobs deal directly with foods in such establishments shall obtain a health certificate of fitness from a government health facility.

7.6 The storage, preparation and serving of food to customers shall adhere to basic hygiene rules.

7.7 Customers shall be provided with clean line such as bed sheets, pillow cases, towels and napkins with daily replacement of same whether used or not where boarding and lodging is provided.

7.8 Swimming pool and bathing places shall be operated for public use after a sanitary permit has been obtained from the Environmental Health Authority of the LGA where it is situated after a satisfactory comprehensive sanitary inspection and report by a licensed Environmental Health Officer.

7.9 In every swimming pool used the general public, there shall be routine water quality analysis carried out in a laboratory certified by the institute of Public Analyst of Nigeria at least once every quarter. The report of such analyses shall be displayed in a conspicuous place around the swimming pool. There shall be a conspicuous warning to be general public on the presence of artificial or natural hazards in and around the swimming pool.

7.10 Every person or company wishing to establish a park, camp, picnic ground rest area, motor park, bus/train terminal,, or petrol services station shall present a health status report for the premises duly signed by a licensed EHO. Such establishment shall only be opened for public patronage after the Environmental Health Authority of the LGA where the premises is situated shall on acceptance of such a Health Status Report issued either a certificate of fitness for use or for continues use, certificate of fitness for habitation, or certificate of fitness for continued habitation as the case may be to the owner of such a premises.

7.11 Such a place or facility shall be provided with adequate open space, ventilation, waiting areas, potable water, means of excreta/sewage disposal and solid waste management system. The entire premises shall be kept clean at all times.

7.12 The operator shall ensure that sale of foodstuffs in such establishment(s) conforms to the provisions of applicable guidelines, regulations and rules.

7.13 Any person or company wishing to establish night clubs, bars and other similar establishments shall present a health status report for the premises duly signed by a licensed EHO. Such establishment shall only be opened for public patronage after the Environmental Health Authority of the LGS where the premises is situated has on acceptance of such a Health Status Report issued either a certificate of fitness for use or for continues use, certificate of fitness for habitation, or certificate of fitness for continued habitation as the case may be to the owner of such a premises.

7.14 These establishments and their premises shall be kept clean at all times, and provided with adequate potable water, toilet facility and facility for water collection and disposal of waste.

7.15 There shall be no private rooms or separate compartments for public use except those used for lavatories, dressing rooms, bars and kitchens.

8.0 Cleaning Services:

8.1 All premises shall be kept clean at all times. All premises requiring the services of a cleaning service provider shall engage only a licensed operator.

8.2 All companies or persons engaged or intended to engage in the business of cleaning services shall apply and obtain a valid operational license from the Council and such license shall be renewed every three years in line with EHPR 2007.

8.3 The class of license issued shall be in accordance with the categorisation in appendixes 11. The minimum equipment for the practice shall be as appendix 12. For companies requiring higher class of license (Classes A or B), the minimum equipment required shall be doubled for class B and triple for class A.

8.4 All operational staff, equipment, materials of such company shall meet the minimum basic requirement as set out in the appendix to those guidelines and as shall be reviewed from time to time.

8.5 All operational staff shall while involved in the handling of wastes, wear appropriate personal protective materials, including clothing, footwear’s, mouth and nose mask, apron etc.

8.6 All staff involved in handling of wastes shall be given basic training on the hazards associated with their work. A written statement giving full explanation of the hazards shall be interpreted to the worker in a language he/she understands. Such worker shall sign or thumb prints an acknowledgement of this explanation.

8.7 Any company involved in dumping of waste collected from clients premises at unlawful locations would have her permit suspended or licence withdrawn and shall be made to face prosecution.

9.0 Pollution Control:

9.1 The operator of a business or activity likely to be a source of noise pollution shall obtain a special permit from the Environmental Health Officer in charge of the LGA after a satisfactory comprehensive sanitary inspection report by a licensed Environmental Health Officer.

9.2 Environmental Noise shall at all time not be above eighty (90) decibel and no equipment shall be kept in a manner or condition as to produce noise that will be injurious to health.

9.3 In the issuance of such a permit, the Environmental Health Officer shall consider the activities involved and the need for controlling environmental noise in our neighbourhoods in granting such a permit.

9.4 All “one off” noise-producing activity such as parties, crusade, and disco shall be held around residential district area only with a permit from the Environmental Health Officer in charge of the LGA.

9.5 Every owner of a motor vehicle or motor cycle shall keep and maintain such a vehicle or motorcycle in a functional state that it does not cause environmental pollution as contained in the relevant regulation.

9.6 All industries shall ensure that emissions from their processes are within allowable limit as specified in the applicable regulations and laws. For this purpose, industries are required to install appropriate air sampling and monitoring equipment within their premises.

9.7 All waste water and effluent shall be collected, treated and disposed off in a manner that it will not constitute danger to health and environment as contained in the National Environmental Protection (Effluent Limitation) Regulation 1991; and the National Environmental Protection (Pollution Abatement in Industries and Facilities Generating Wastes) Regulation 1991; as well as other regulations.

9.8 Radioactive materials/wastes shall be handled, used and stored in a manner that shall minimize hazards to Public Health and the environment. This shall be in line with guidelines issued from time to time by National Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

9.9 No radioactive materials shall be stored within a 100 metres radius of any source of drinking water.

10.0 Environmental Health Information Management System (EHIMS)

10.1 Environmental health information management system in designed to collect, collate, analyses, interpret, present and report environmental health information to support evidence-based environmental health services.

10.2 Every EH practitioners shall ensure that data generated in the cause of his activities is stored in a retrievable manner and feed into the national EHIS. Generally, the data will flow community to LGA to state and finally to the Federal level.

11.0 PROCEDURE FOR INSPECTION AND ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE

11.1 A nuisance is any act, omission, place or thing, which is or may be adjudged dangerous to life or injurious to health or property.

11.2 A registered EHO, shall while on duly have powers to enter any premises, inspect any premises, abate nuisances, obtain order to seal premises, arrest and prosecute environmental health offenders, condemn items unfit for human consumption, and enforce all environmental health laws, regulations, policies and other related laws, regulations.

11.3 Local Government Areas may grant concessions to any company licenses by the Council to provide sanitary premises inspection services within the LGAs jurisdiction fro the purpose of providing services in the areas of sanitary inspection of premises.

11.4 He shall also assess and ensure that all documents, needing his assessments such as Premises Based Environmental Health Record Book (Appendix 13), certificate of fitness for Habitation, certificate of fitness for continue Habitation, Certificate of fitness for continue use, etc are produced on demand and are valid as at the time of such inspection.

11.5 Where an EHO is satisfied of the existence if a nuisance, he shall serve an abatement notice (Appendix 14) on the person who caused or continue to cause the nuisance to occur/exist or on the occupier or the owner of the premises, as the case may be specifying what action needs to be taken by such person to abate the nuisance within a specified time and or ensure that such a nuisance does not reoccur in such premises.

11.6 It shall be the duty of the EHO to do all things and to take all measures, including causing the issuance of nuisance order, prohibition order or closing or a combination of such orders to ensure that a nuisance which exists is abated or a nuisance which existed having been abated does not reoccur in that premises in future.

12.0 PROCEDURE FOR REGISTRATION/LICENSING OF VARIOUS PRACTICES PROVIDED FOR IN THESE GUIDELINES.

12.1 Any individual or company wishing to engage or already engaged in any of the service area covered by these guidelines is encouraged to continue in such business after due licensing by the Council. This regularization must be carried out within the time limit provided by the council.

12.2 Such enterprise must be registered as a company in Nigeria in line with the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

12.3 The company is the required to obtain an application form from the council and complete such application form and return to the Council with full details information as required by the Council. There shall be payment in bank draft for the cost of application which shall be detailed in the application form and other support documents.

12.4 The Council shall engage the services of a licensed Environmental Health Officer as a consultant to visit the applicant company with a view to interviewing the proprietor(s) and take an inventory of equipment available vis-à-vis submissions made to the Council.

12.5 After a report has been submitted by the consultant, a decision is made by the Council either to register such a company or not in the area of Environmental Health practice applied for. The company is informed of council decision within a maximum of 90 days from the date of receipt of such an application.

12.6 If the Company’s application is approved, the company will then be required to pay her registration fee and on payment, a certificate of registration shall be issued to the company. The certificate shall be renewed every three years in line with EHPR 2007.

12.7 If the application is rejected, the company will equally be informed accordingly and given the reason for the rejection of such application. Such a company may re-apply in future.

12.8 A company may hold licenses for multiple services provision as long as it has the expertise in such areas. A company may hold licenses in such sewage disposal facilities, Public Health Pest Control, Cleaning Services, and Sanitary inspection of Premises.

Appendix 1
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
Colour Code for Waste Sorting and Segregation (CCWSS)

Colour Category Component of waste


Black Non-infectious wastes All paper, packaging materials
including cartons, bottles, food
remnants, rags

Yellow Infectious wastes Gloves, dressings, blood, body fluids,
used specimen containers and similar
wastes from both healthcare and
research facilities

Red Highly Infectious wastes Anatomical waste, pathological waste

Brown Chemical Formaldehyde, batteries, photographic
chemicals, solvents, organic chemicals,
inorganic chemical

Yellow with Radioactive wastes Any solid, liquid, or
radioactive label pathological waste, contaminated with
radioactive isotopes of any kind




Green Recyclable wastes Glass waste metal, cans, plastic
wastes, plastic cans cups, polythene etc

Organic waste Organic wastes including garden wastes,
leaves, shrub, tree truck, weed, flowers
etc

Appendix 2
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
Classes of Waste Collection Licence
Class of licence Waste covered

A-Toxic industrial waste and effluents, Health care waste and other dangerous and hazardous substances

B Sludge from water treatment plants, grease interceptors, water-seal latrins, sewage treatment plants, septic tanks or other types of sewage systems. Waste from sanitary conveniences in ships and aircraft.

C Food and other putrescible waste from domestic, trade and industrial premises, markets and food centres, construction debris, tree trunks, discarded furniture, appliances, wooden create, and other bulky items destined for disposal .

Appendix 3

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
Minimum Waste Collection Materials And Equipment
S/N Materials Minimum Nos. required
1. Brooms, Brushes, Rakes 50 each

2. Dust bins 120 litres 1000 1000
240 litres 1000 1000
1200 litres 500 500
1500 litres (Dinosaur bin)6 6
5000 litres (mammoth bin)4 4

3. Polyethylene bags Various sizes 10,000 pieces

4. Wheel barrows 10

5. Compacting trucks or side loading collection trucks 2

6. Pail loader 2

7. Tippers 2

8. Generator Minimum of 3 KVA 1

9. Pick up truck 2

10. Shovel 20
11. Dust pan 50

12. Tractor 1

Office Facilities
• Adequate office space
• Adequate storage space
• Adequate cloakroom
• Adequate water supply.

Appendix 4

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
Labeling of Vehicles and Similar Equipment









Appendix 5
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
Classes of Waste Collection Licence
Class of licence Waste covered

A- Industrial incinerators
B Sanitary landfill operators of waste recycling plants
C Sewage and waste water treatment plant


Appendix 6
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
certificate of disinfestations/fumigation
No: ................
STATE...................................... LGA........................................................
I certify that the premises belonging to.....................................................
................................................................................................................
Situated at No:.......................................................................... has been
Disinfested/fumigated by me on:...............day of:.........20........it is my considered opinion that the building(s) treated within the said premises is/are rid of pests of public health importance.

Name of Environmental Health Officer issuing the certificate ...................
Annual license Reg. No: ...........................................................................
Signature/Professional Reg. Stamp .........................................................
Issued this ................... day of .................................... 20 ......................
This certificate is valid till ........................................................................
................................................................................................................

--------------------------------- --------------------------------
Signature of Environmental Health Officer Company Stamp
S/N NATURE OF PREMISES
1 Residential Premise
2 Office Accommodation
3 Hotel/Restaurant/Eatery
4 Warehouse
5 Hospital/Clinic
6 School/Educational Institution
7 Camps/Temporary Shelter/Mobile Premise
8 Ships/Aircraft/Train/Buses
9 Garden/Parks/Recreation Centres
10 Others (specify)

Appendix 7
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
Minimum Requirements for Pest Control License
(see environmental Health Practice Regulation 2007)

i. Knapsack Sprayer 3
ii. Fogging Machine 2
iii. Swing fog Machine 1

Office and Facilities

i. Adequate office space
ii. Bath room/toilet
iii. Cloakroom
iv. Adequate water supply.

Personnel
Any pest control outfit shall have a minimum of 2 spray men. The head of operation of the company must be registered by the Council.

Training of employees

The pest control operator shall ensure that all his personnel are fully briefed and trained so that they are conversant with the following:
i. The requirements of this regulation and such other similar regulations.
ii. Safe handling of pesticides and equipment
iii. Safe use of Personal Protective Devices such as face mask, hand gloves, eye goggles, boots, overall, nose mask, ear muffs, helmet.
iv. List of approved pesticides.

Handling of Pesticides and Safety of Spray men

i. In addition to provisions of section 10 of the Policy Guidelines on Pest and Vector control issued by Federal Ministry of Environment, 2005, the use of all chemical pesticides for pest control shall be done with extreme caution.
ii. All chemicals to be used shall conform with specification as contained in section 8.3 of the Policy Guideline on Pest and Vector control issued by Federal Ministry of Environment, 2005 and in Schedule X of this regulation.
iii. No pesticides as contained in Schedule XI of this regulation shall be used for pest control.
(a) Every pest control outfit shall conform with provision of schedule IX
iv. Facilities must be provided for first aid treatment of spray men and cases of accident or for prompt medical attention to a recognized hospital
v. Spray men and the head of operation must produce medical report of fitness once every six (6) months from a recognized medical practitioners.
vi. All equipment used for formulation of pesticides shall be properly washed and cleansed, and stored in such a way that would not constitute danger of health of the public.

Disposal of Killed Pest

i. Killed pests shall not be disposed of as part of the domestic wastes but shall be considered as special wastes and be disposed of as such.
ii. Killed pests including rodents, cockroaches, etc shall be disposed of by burial under the ground or incinerated
iii. Such disposal shall not be done within a distance of 30m to a source of ground or surface supply.

Responsibilities of Clients

1. Owners of premises infested with pest of public health importance must report such infestation to the Environmental Health Authority.

Appendix 8
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS FOR HABITATION (CFH)

STATE...................................... LGA........................................................
This is certify that the premises belonging Mr./Mrs. ................................
................................................................................................................
Situated at No:........................ has been inspected and found to be fit for
Habitation based on report of inspection carried out on: .................... day of ........................, 20 .......................
Name of Inspecting Environmental Health Officer....................................
Annual license Reg. No: ...........................................................................
Issued this ................... day of .................................... 20 ......................
This certificate is valid till ........................................................................
Name of Inspecting Environmental Health Officer....................................
Annual license Reg. No: ...........................................................................
Signature/Office Stamp ...........................................................................



Appendix 9
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS FOR CONTINUED HABITATION (CFCH)

STATE...................................... LGA........................................................
This is certify that the premises belonging to Mr./Mrs. ............................
................................................................................................................
Situated at No:........................ has been inspected and found to be fit for
Continued Habitation based on report of inspection carried out on: .................... day of ........................, 20 .......................
Name of Inspecting Environmental Health Officer....................................
Annual license Reg. No: ...........................................................................
Issued this ................... day of .................................... 20 ......................
This certificate is valid till ........................................................................
Name of Inspecting Environmental Health Officer....................................
Annual license Reg. No: ...........................................................................
Signature/Office Stamp ...........................................................................





Appendix 10
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
CERTIFICATION OF FITNESS FOR CONTINUED USE OF PREMISES

State………………………………………LGA…………………………………..
This is to certify that the premises belonging to…………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
Situated at No:……………………………has been inspected and found to be fit for Continued Use as (state purpose of use of premises)
……………………………………………………………………………………….
Based no report of inspection carried out on …… day of ……200……
Name of inspecting Environmental Health officer………………………
Annual Licence Reg. No……………………………………………………..
Issued this ………….day of …………………….20…………………………
This Certification is valid till:…………………………………………………
Name of Environmental Health officer issuing certificate ……………..
Annual Licence Reg. No………………………………………………………
Signature/ Official Stamp:……………………………………………………


Appendix 11
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA
Commercial Cleaning Services Provider (Categorization).
Criteria
• Floor space
• Nature of waste
• Type of establishment

Class A
• Officer and structure with total floor space above 350 sq. metres and above
• Three (3) star Hotel and above classified by Ministry of Tourism
• All teaching hospitals, Research Institution, Specialist Hospitals
• Federal medical Centres
• General Hospitals
• Private hospitals that render services in these categories
• Tertiary educational institutions
• Industries that general hazardous waste as specified in S.I. 15: National Environmental Protection Management of Solid and Hazardous Waste Regulations, 1991.
• Airports
• Stadium
• Trade Fair Centre
• Sea Ports
• Any facility generating waste not covered in Classes B or C

CLASS B
• Offices and structure with total space of between 100 and 350 sq. meters
• Two star Hotels as classified by Ministry of Tourism
• All other categories of health facilities snot listed in A above.
• All secondary schools and other educational institutions with students’ population 0f 500 and above
• Public places like streets,

CLASS C
• Offices and structure with total floor space of less than 100 sq. meters
• Shops
• Educational institution of students’ population below 500
• One star Hotels as classified by Ministry of Tourism
• Motor parks, Markets



Appendix 12
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA MINIMUM EQUIPMENT FOR CLEANING SERVICES PROVIDER*
S/N Materials Minimum Nos. Required

1. High Powered Vacuum Cleaners . 3
2 Upholsteries- Cleaners 2
3 Rotary Machines 3
4 Host Extraction Carpet Cleaners 2
5 Cradle Machine For High Building (Glass and Marble). Optional 2
6 Telescope Poles. Optional 2
7 Window, floor Squeezers. 2
8 H-Bro Buffing Machine (1600RPL or higher) 2
9 Blower- Machine 2
10 Lawn- Mower 2
11 Car Park Sweepers (Motorize). Optional 2
12 Sponges Applicator 2

Office Facilities
• Adequate office space
• Adequate storage space
• Adequate Bathroom/toilet
• Adequate cloakroom
• Adequate water supply

For Class “C” License holders only. Class “B” & “A” holders are required to own equipment in higher number and sophistication according to the license desired.














Appendix 13
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE NIGERIA CERTIFICATION Premises- Based Environmental Services Record Book/ Register
Date Nuisances Found Action Taken Further Action Name/ Sign of EHO
Recommended Inspection















Appendix 14
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE CERTIFICATE
ABATEMENT NOTICE
To…………………………………………………………………………………...
Of …………………………………………………………………………………
You are required to abate within………days the nuisance at………….
Consisting of………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
And for that purpose to………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..and to prevent the recurrence of the nuisance.
Dated this………………day of …………20………Time ……….am/pm

………………………………..
Environmental Health officer.

I hereby certify that a copy of the above notice was served by me on the…………day of ………….20……..at….am/pm by being (state how served)…………………………………………………………………………….
In the presence of (Mr/Mrs/ Chief/ Miss)……………………as witness
………………………. …………………………
Name of witness Environmental Health officer.









LIST OF APPENDIX
APPENDIX No TITLE
Appendix 1 Colour code for waste sorting and segregation (CCWSS)
Appendix 2 Classes of waste collection license
Appendix 3 Minimum waste collection Materials & Equipment
Appendix 4 Application for registration or renewal of waste collection operator’s license
Appendix 5 Classes of waste disposal licenses
Appendix 6 Certificate of disinfestations/fumigation
Appendix 7 Minimum requirement for pest control license
Appendix 8 Certificate of fitness for habitation
Appendix 9 Certificate of fitness for continued habitation
Appendix 10 Certificate of fitness for continued
Appendix 11 Cleaning services providers categorization
Appendix 12 Minimum equipment for cleaning service provider
Appendix 13 Premises Based Environmental Health Record Book
Appendix 14 Abatement Notice


LIST OF ABBREVIATION
EHO Environmental Health Officer
EHPAN Environmental Health Practitioners Association of Nigeria
EHIMS Environmental Health Information Management System
NEHPR National Environmental Health Practice Regulations 2007.

MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICE AND ITS COMPONENTS

BY Ebisike Augustine O.


PREAMBLE
Environmental Health refers to the control of all those factors in man’s Environmental that cause or are likely to cause deleterious effects on human health. As broad as this concept may look, it can be conveniently implemented by the institution in all necessary frame works ranging from modalities for the mobilization of personnel, equipment and other resources whose provision are central to the success of any intervention measure.

As important as the provision of those resources are, their utilization and/or application rests squarely on the availability of a good physical structure that will house both human and material resources employable for the attainment of the set goals and objective of any pubic/environmental health intervention. The organization of such human and material resources require professional handling quality assurance

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Environmental Health Practice in Nigeria traces its route back to the Colonial Era when the Colonial Masters introduced the Sanitary Inspectors and tasked them to ensure all Communities in the country are sanitarily maintained. The Sanitary Inspectors operated from various Native Authority Offices in all the Regions. The Metamorphosis of the Sanitary Inspector over time through to the post colonial era brought along with it changes in domiciliation of the practitioner, until the time the Health Superintendent was domiciled at the Local Authorities where there was provision of Health officers in the Districts under the Local Authorities .

Besides the Local Authorities the State Governments also had their own Offices known as the Government Health office which were located in major towns across the state under the Supervision of what was known then as the Medical Officer of Health Superintendents who served as extension officers.

On the part of the District Health Offices which were under the supervision of the District health Superintendents, they served as the liaison spot for the delivery of Preventive Health Services to the nooks and crannies of the District. Majorly, these services ranged from Sanitary Inspection to Insecticide spray, Mosquito larva survey, meat hygiene, immunization against vaccine preventable diseases. Their exploits are still being reference in our present day Nigeria as they are yet to be matched. This is attributable to the fact that the Government paid the necessary attention to the Health Offices providing equipments and materials for the smooth operations of the Offices even though there were fewer Manpower available.

THE SITUATION NOW
Although the number of Health Offices has increased with the creation of new Local Governments, their output has been on the decline due to a number of factors chief among which include shortage of manpower, lack of working materials, poor financing, lack of political will. These and many other have played prominent roles in making the fortunes of the health offices to dwindle.

The situation is so pathetic that a good number of the offices are structurally defective and do not have basic needs of a decent office accommodation namely adequate space, furniture, stationery etc. that enable smooth running. These conditions are in themselves contrary to provisions in the various Public/Environmental Health Laws the offices are established to enforce. How worse could an Office be with no provision of sanitary conveniences for staff, waste collection and disposal, safety equipment etc. You will find horrible sights ranging from worn-out paintings, peeled off plastering to sagging ceilings, broken floorings etc.

The Se have made the Offices look horrible and make those inhabiting them have feelings of dejection and all motivation which in turn pushes them to truancy. EHOs in most instances become subjected to mockery from members of the public whose premises might have been inspected by the EHOs previously asserting that their premises are better off the Offices

All these factors have had their tolls on the fortunes of the Health Office resulting in mediocrity, indolence and apathy.

REVERSING THE TREND
Now that the profession is witnessing reform aimed at improving services delivery and efficiency, there is need for conscientious effort to be exerted in making things work again such that diseases prevalence can be reduced to the barest minimum.
[
This can be achieved by reorganizing the smallest unit in Environmental Health Services Delivery i.e the Health Office. The reorganization can be done in the following manner.

3.1 INTEGRATION OF EH COMPONENTS INTO THE HEALTH OFFICE STRUCTURE
The Environmental Health Profession according to WHO consists of the following components Waste Management Food hygiene and control pest and vector control; environmental health control of housing and sanitation epidemiological investigation and control air quality management waster resources management and sanitation pollution control and abatement health promotion and education; enforcement of environmental health quality standards; and environmental health impact assessment

Currently only a few of the component are entrenched in the scheme of things in the Health Office while other are not visible at all. Control of housing and sanitation for instance is long conceded to the Works Ministry/ Department of the State/ Local Government, air quality management is no longer accorded any placement, health promotion and education long forgotten, pest and vector control relegated to the backstage, while environmental health impact assessment is still a mirage.

The subsisting component can be revalitised alongside incorporating those excised thereby making the office active again.

3.2 RESTRUCTURING OF OFFICE
The Health Office can bounce back to life if it is made business like in terms of manpower, coverage area and service delivery as follows.

SERVICE DELIVERY
Environmental Health Services are diverse in nature cutting across all spheres of human endeavour form the home fronting to work places which include emerging and re-emerging issues and diseases. Besides the traditional House- to- House inspection, regulated premises inspection. Market Inspection that have become hallmark, of the Health office, services such as abattoir inspection, Meat, fish and poultry inspection must be given adequate attention in view of their importance. Other areas requiring attention of the health office include mosquito survey for the determination of the various species and their habitats which will then enable adequate control measures including outdoor spray of larval and pupal growth areas. This will not only get infested areas rid of mosquitoes but also help in bringing down malaria incidence rates and reduce the escalating resistance to anit- malarial to the barest minimum. This will reduce the volume of foreign exchange expended on the importation of anti malaria drugs, bed nets and the number of illnesses and deaths associated with this disease in Nigeria.

For a very long time, water sampling analysis has become extinct from the function of the health office owing to its neglect by governments in succession resulting in grave consequences to public health. Hospital records show increasing prevalence of water- borne diseases across the country in addition to figure recorded during epidemics.

Decentralization/ specialization
Traditionally, Environmental Health practitioners carry out all environmental health duties all year round. At this age of advancement the status quo should not be maintained for any efforts of making meaningful any attempts to revolutionise the profession to succeed. One can not imagine how a few officers in any given health office cope with myriad of issues in such offices with no classification of schedules between them. This obviously results in incoordination and ineffectiveness.

This paper aims therefore to suggest taking a modern approach that will see to the introduction of schedules (teams) in the health office in order for efficiency to be entrenched. Officers could be assigned any particular schedule for a rotational period of one year thereby making grounds for enhancements in their services deliveries. The underlisted would be appropriate schedules for which one two or more EHPs can be assigned to handle.

Food establishments including restaurants, dairies, bakeries
Water packaging premises and their likes
Residential dwellings
Recreational establishments including hotels, guest house, stadia etc
Commercial premises including markets, supermarkets, etc
Animals slaughter houses and meat shops, cold rooms etc
Special, team whose task will include water quality surveillance vehicular emission inspection.
Schools Offices premises
Industrial premises inclusive of major process factories offensive trade outfits, carpentry, mechanical, technical workshops ect.
Building construction sites, construction companies construction safety, health and environment, building approval appraisal and approval etc
Sanitary complaints documentation and investigation, court procedural actions and litigation etc.
Data management, research and planning, advocacy and public relations
Although this may look too elaborate for the standings of the health office, it is nonetheless futuristic in that some of the schedules could be merged depending on the nature of the community (rural, urban or semi-urban) being served, the manpower available as well as the size and population of the area. For areas like say, Lagos Abuja, Portharcourt and Kaduna all the listed schedules can apply.

For Environmental Health Practice to regain its lost glory, it has to fit into the political landscape of the country where there is a paradigm shift from the conservation postures to more liberal ones. The Health system in general has been adapted to this shift with the introduction by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency of the Ward Health System in 2002. The system emphasizes or recognizes the Political Ward as the smallest until of the health care delivery system. This brings to fore the need for Environmental Health offices of be located in all the Ward throughout the Country for better reach.


Personnel
The delivery of any service depends to a large extent on the adequacy of personnel assigned the task. Population of Environmental Health Personnel have in a very long time been on the decrease owing from embargo on employment which makes impossible, replacement of deceased, retired or resigned EHOs from the services of Federal, States and Local Government services. This unfortunate development no doubt has contributed immensely to the deterioration of the practitioner’s output wherein only a few hands are saddled with the ever increasing tasks.

The situation can be handled squarely when the needed manpower are engaged. For effective coverage regimentation needs to be applied based on seniority hence a health offices ought to be managed (headed) by a Chief EHOs with an Assistant Chief as the second in command. Others are.
1 PEHOs
2. SEHOs
3 HEHOs
4 EHTs
EHAs
1 clerical officer

Financing
The Health Office has had to suffer a lot of neglect due to financing problem. One will not be wrong to assert that it is the only government outfit that is run without government funds and hence allowed in the mercies of the people running them. One unpardonable excuse employers always advances is the fact that the Health Office is a liability and hence deprives it of the desired financing. There is no gainsaying that this lackadaisical attitude of government led to deterioration inherent in the health offices because all working materials are self-provided by the staff hence their excesses in generating funds by illegal means.

For this ugly development to be reversed therefore, Government must create budget line for the health office to enable it dispense its roles and responsibilities. Enough money should be voted for essentially over-head costs that will be devoted to the day to day running of the office like transportation and procurement of stationeries etc.

Government could also make the health office an internally Generated Revenue (IGR) earner in this finance crunch time. Below are some of the services that can earn the government the much needed IGR.

Certification of Premises for habitation
Certification of Premises for continued habitation
Food vendors permit
Fines from EH Laws offenders
The model environmental health management plan the model environmental health management plan is meant to be used as a guide and/or framework for the creation of premises specific environmental health plan
Excavation permit
Fill material permit
Well sinking permit
Swimming pool permit
Septic tank emptying plan permit
Septic tank abandonment permit
Food concession permit at special occasions e.g conference, sporting activities etc.
Waste water permit
Issuance of fumigation certificate

Staff Reorientation
The long neglect of the health office has brought along with it the diminishing productivity of the EHPs as they resort to perpetrating unprofessional conducts to the detriment of the job. It is common knowledge that bribery is thriving very well in all the health offices in the country.

This is situation that must change hence the need for the staff to be exposed to specialized training at interval which will only aim at attitudinal change. Another strategy that will pay off well is the stepping down of the servicecompact (SERVICOM) to the ward level with a view to making those responsible appreciate the need for them to serve their communities to the best of their ability. Part of reorientation will be retraining on specific areas which are critical to services delivery as well as structured and formal education undertakings in various institutions of learning.





Shift Duty
The issue of Environmental Health practice has become a 24 hours job. The concept of 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday has to change as job requires a 24 hour 7 days a week, 365 day job. There is therefore need for the health office to run on a 24hour bases running three shifts of 8 hours each. This should also mean that a special salary scale should also be considered for these practitioners.

Data Management
Data generation remains a key challenge in environmental health because of the long time negligence of the sector. Activities undertaken are not recorded. Such that basic information regarding for instance the number, type and category of premises key elements in their monitory and appraisal are completely lacking.

Concerted effort must be made to ensure the formulation of an environmental health management information system (EHMIS) that will have the health office as its primary input source and linking with local, state and federal government authorities responsible for environmental health matters.

Reporting Lines/Linkages
The following flow chart will serve as the hierarchy of the reporting system .
Filed terms (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8……….denoting schedules)

Filed teams leaders (A1,2,3, B1, B2,C1,C2,….(denoting grouped schedules)

Teams Coordination

Assistant Chief EHO

Chief EHO (i/c Health Offiec)
Deputy/ Assistant Director Unit Health (LGA headquarters)


Director, Environmental coordinating for Health Offices

Note: A Team Leader coordinating more than 1 teams
The same structure can apply to the Health Offices belonging to the State Government for uniformity
Office Accommodation
Owing to the established neglect majority of health offices do not have office accommodation. Where they have in most cases they are situated within health clinics, markets and other public buildings which often than not are dilapidated, too small and inadequate.

The health office as custodian of health well- being of the environmental should be befitting for habitation hence the need for its modernization to current standards. A model (prototype)comprising of the following could be adopted for building in all the Ward across the country.
4 nos. Offices 12” x12” in dimension
3 nos. Office 16” x 16” in dimension
1 no. Conference room 20” x20” in dimension
1no. Front office (Waiting room)12”x12” in dimension
1no. Library
1 no. Store

Equipping
It is an established fact that no work can be executed without working materials. This is applicable to the health office which is left to function without provision of the necessary working equipments.
Depending of the location and size the health office should be given adequate attention in terms of equipment with the following as necessity.

At lest unit of Lap-top Computer
2 no. desk jet printer
1 no. Refrigerators
Knap- sack sprayers
Water sampling kits
Fogging machine
Safety equipments e.g Overall, coverall, boots, helmet, masks etc
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Meter
Colorimeter
Noise Level Meter
Air Samplers
Dust Sampler
Units of Desk- top Computer
2 to 3 motor- cycles for outreach
Service/ Data Generating Forms e.g Abatement notice Inspection forms etc.
Measuring tapes
Cold boxes
Thermometers
P.H Meter
Turbid Meter
Noise Peak Meter
Carbon- Monoxide (CO) Analyzer
Infrared Analyzer

CONCLUSION
One is of the opinion that the time to act is ripe for the profession to fashion out ways of collaboration with major stakeholders i.e Government Practitioners and communities on one hand and on the other mobilize support of international donor partners, multi-national and national corporations towards improving services delivery. This will serve as catalyst for the realization of the MDGs which have direct bearing on environmental health.

This collaboration should focus on capacity development, logistics, and provision of infrastructure, community mobilization, and advocacy all targeting at entrenching international best practices.

M0TIVATION FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS

BY Environmental Health Officers Registration council of Nigeria 2009

COURSE OUTLINE:
1. Ethics and privileges of public health practice.
2. Code of professional ethics for Environmental Health Officers
3. Job Security Inherent in Public Health
4. Defining the Work Environment
5. Current Globalization in Environmental Health Practice
6. Use of Print and Electronic Media in Publicity of Environmental health activities.
7. Self- discipline and self- motivation for professional Development.

INTRODUCTION
In the recent past years, the filed of environmental health has become one of great interest in the global scheme of things. Man has become more sensitive to the development in his relationship and interactions with the environment. Quite aware of the fact that the planet earth is he only life sustaining planet as we know it its complexity as a system is such that, the balance which maintains it homeostasis is fragile and can be upset by unsustainable human activities which generate issues of environmental health concern.

Air pollution from industrial activities, pollution of water by effluents, municipal and industrial solid waste management, chemicals in the environment, toxicity of food and food security environmental sanitation etc, are concurrent issues and challenges in environmental health practices.

All over the world environmental health concerns are top priority issues in he overall strategic environmental agenda of government. The most distinct professional group identified with the management of these environmental health concerns virtually all over the world are the environmental health officers, no mater what nomenclature the may carry in different parts of the world.


In Nigeria, “environmental health officers are a brand of professional group so to speak, learned in aspects of the physical, biological, social and management sciences all together to appreciate the diverse and complex nature of the living environmental and to apply those scientific knowledge into skills to manage environmental Health Problems.

Environmental Health practice has assumed a profession in Nigeria via a federal act No. 11 of 2002.

This new dispensation of professionalism in environmental Health practice, call motivation for professional excellence.

Motivation for professional excellence is all about the tools, impulses, and factors necessary for a practitioner to perform and excel in his profession. As we are all aware, the practice of environmental health before the establishment of the council was that of despondency and frustration on the part of the environmental health officer. He had no pride in what he practices, lost confidence in himself and a feeling of inferiority complex.

There were actual threats to banish the EHO from practice or at least reduce him to ordinary agent of other professions who are interested in his job. All these were largely due to the absence of a legal framework for his protection and a low- level competence in the discharge of a dynamic and highly challenging modern environmental health practice.

Environmental health officers must come to terms with the reality that the traditional environment which they operated upon is no longer the same. The waste generation, characteristics and composition is not as those of yesteryears: the size complexity and emissions form our industries are different; the architecture of our building is changed with prosperity and new style of living; even our agricultural practices have transformed. We now operate in an exilic environment, democratized, globalize and highly educated. Our methods, amount of knowledge and operations has to move with time. These are obvious challenges we cannot run away from, if we are to justify the name of a profession.

With the enactment of the council act, things are beginning to change for the better. The aim of this course is to consolidate on the gains of the council, and to sensitize the environmental health officer to self- realization, interest and pride in his job, confidence and excellence in the practice of his profession.

ETHICS AND PRIVILEGES OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICES,
The can be defined as sets of principals relating to morals, rules of conduct or moral question, while privileges are special advantages or benefit especially as it is exclusive to individuals or group or a profession.

Public Health practice can be defined as “the strategic, organized, and interdisciplinary application of knowledge, skills and competencies necessary to perform essential public health services and other activities to improve the populations health” Assoc of schools of Pub Health1999).

Public health is essentially environmental health, the differences is much in the use of semantics or the condition of application. The term environmental health is much used when dealing with variables that emphasize on the relationship between human health and environmental factors.

The history of public health practice in Nigeria, which I believe will be discussed in another course, is such that the importance of environmental factors in disease condition, spread and encounter became so obvious that medical control was deemphasized for environmental control. This became the trend and also informed the transformation in nomenclature of practitioners from sanitary attendants to inspectors to public health superintendents in the 70’s and environmental health officers in the 90’s to date. However, development in human societies is opening up new horizons in this filed along with new challenges, which restricts not the practices to emphasis on local exposures to microbiological and toxicological agents of disease along.

To fully appreciate the ethical questions or issues involved in the practice of public health we need to underscore the fundamental principles in there practices

Ethics as earlier defined has to do with individual’s behaviour perception and values as have to come to play in the conduct of his work. This again is measured against the expectations of the his work. This again is measured against the expectations of the goals of his employment. Something we may not have a hard and fast rule, it may depend on situation. However, we may need some checklist/probing question as guide to our ethics in the workplace.
1. Have we applied the best of our scientific and technical knowledge and skills in the discharge of public health duties?
2. Did we commit the available resources meant for improving the health of the population appropriately?
3. Are we serious and committed to the practice of public health?
4. Have we applied the most up to date methodology, equipment and skill in our professional practice?
5. Are we convinced about the steps we take in improving population’s health?
6. Are we satisfied with the outcome of our practices? Etc.

All these are questions that border on ethics or morality that come to pay in practice. Many of them are individual dependent.


It is fundament that a professional should inculcate ethical values that are in line with the code of his professional ethics. Without those ethical values there can be no assurance of meeting the goals and objectives of a professional practices in public health.
Privileges also exist in the practice of public health and are embedded in the various laws guiding the practice of public health in Nigeria. The environmental health officer has a designated uniform he is identified with and a right of entry to conduct inspection of premises within specified hours of the day. With the council act of 2002 he also has been given a privilege of been licensed as a professional to practice and engage in private practices. All these are elements for motivation for professional excellence.

It is expedient that environmental health officers take advantage of these privileges especially of private practice to move the professio9n forward.

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS
Professional ethics concerns one’s conduct of behavior and practice when carrying out professional work. The institutionalization of code of conduct and code of practices is common with many professional bodies for their members to observe.
a part for code of ethics, professional ethical also concerns matters such as professional indemnity, further more as will readily be appreciated, no two codes of ethics are identical. They vary by cultural group, by profession and by discipline. There is nothing like universal ethical principles as the universe is sharply divided by cultural diversities and values. In some cultures certain behaviours are certainly frowned upon, but in other cultures the opposite may be true.

The Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), has developed a code of professional ethics for practicing environmental health officers in Nigeria. This code of professional ethical is expected to be signed by each professional member before he receives his license. The code of ethics is a twenty three (23) item document (attached).

The overall goal of code of professional ethics is to entrench the culture of good behaviour, discipline and professional excellence. The observation of this code of professional ethics is essential for the enlistment of the profession in the eyes of the general public. We can imagine how the behaviour of one member of the profession, good/ bad during practices can be interpreted as a reflection of the behaviour of all members of that profession. For example if a member compromises his responsibilities by means of collecting bribes during inspection, it is obvious that whenever any other member comes to carry out inspection in the same premises, similar briberies would be advanced in order to escape sanctions for any default. No sooner than that behaviour perpetrates, the whole profession becomes associated with worth collection. We need to understand that a good name is worth more than a billion Naira, the implication of compositing public heath ideal has far- reaching consequences on the general public.

THE ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF A CODE OF ETHICS
A code of ethics enabled us to:
• Set out the ideals and responsibilities of the profession
• Exert a de facto regulatory effect, protecting both clients and professional.
• Improve the profits of the profession
• Motivate and inspire practitioners, by attempting to define their raison d’ etre
• Provide guidance on acceptable conduct
• Raise awareness and consciousness of issues
• Improve quality and consistency
• On the other hand, we must also consider:
• Whether the so called standards are obligatory, or are merely an aspiration
• Whether such a code is desirable or feasible
• Whether ethical values are universal or culturally relativistic
• The difficulty of providing universal guidance giving the heterogeneous nature of the profession.
• What the point is of specifying responsibilities, given the limited regulatory function of a code.



JOB SECURITY INHERENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Job security can simply be defined as that guarantee for one continue in his job until he is ready to move on. As it may be applied to a professional field, it shall connote the continuous relevance of the field in national endeavors.

In the context of this presentation, we may view both connotations as one and same. In actual fact, the continuous relevance of environmental health practice largely depends on the professionals operating it and the job security of the professional operating it, also lies in the effectiveness of the practice.


We all realize the vast career opportunities that exist in public health practice in so many sectors of our national economy. A few mentions will include:
• The civil service (federal, state and local councils)
• The industries (oil, manufacturing, miming, processing etc)
• Companies (waste management chemical, services etc)
• Consultancy (capacity building, technical services, professional, counseling etc)
• Academia (universities, polytechnics, schools of H. Techs etc.
• Ngo’s (UNDP, UNICEF, WORLD BANK, UN-HABITAT, UNEP ETC)
Nigeria is a developing economy with all the striving necessary to advance. As the country is making stride towards development, public health job opportunities continue to open. Industrial development is the bane for economic and social advancement of nay nation. These developments are usually accompanied with increase in waste generation, environmental pollution, effluent generation occupational diseases, and disease factor in the environmental and human waste generation. All these factors needs to be controlled by trained public health profession, and in accordance with national policy guidelines, the operators of these industries needs to employ trained public health personnel to work in those industries to control environmental health related issues. This in a way is a guarantee of job security in the public health sector.

The civil service is expanding, new challenges are emerging, and the economy is also expanding. Government services require increase public health personnel to meet these challenges. As urbanization is becoming a global trend. The service of public health practitioners is indispensable. Public health services are also expanding with urbanization, thereby increasing security of job.

Government is promoting private practice concept in public health practice, as it cannot bear the burden of services delivery alone. This has created another opportunity for securing jobs in public health international bilateral and multilateral organizations continue to develop interest in Nigeria and development. As a result agencies such as the UNDP the UN Habitat, Global Environmental Facility (GEF) the European Union (EU) the World Bank, UNICEF, USAID and a host of others sign agreements on development projects most commonly bordering on public Health interventions. This has created more opportunities for public health job security. The academia is also another horizon in the job security inherent in public. We have today some private school of Health technologies operating in both the Northern and Southern parts of the country the advent of private and state universities are also consolidating the opportunities of job security in Public Health. With these arrays of opportunities, we can conveniently assume that the public Health sector is dearth of sufficient manpower.
Having considered job security in terms of array of opportunities then we need also to consider the security of the already employed. How does he secure his job? What are the threats he faces? What can guarantee his continuity in the job he has taken? These are important issues often not serious attention being paid to. For a more explicit discussion on this matter, let us consider some indicators for secure or insecure jobs.

GOOD INDICATORS
• Your establishment is gaining thriving and growing
• Your services are on increased demand and is expending
• Your remuneration is on the rise
• Your establishment
• The general public acknowledges your contributions and relevance etc.

BAD INDICATORS
• Your relevance to new challenges is on the decline.
• Threatened by another formidable group
• Outdated knowledge and skills
• Your employer not keen about your contributions
• Service beneficiaries not interested in your services etc.


A critical look at those indicators will unveil a problem on the par of the employee or a practitioner. That problem of the practitioner is a threat to the practice. A threat to the practice translates to job insecurity. The problems on the part of the practitioner can manifest in many forms such as those of unethical behaviour, non commitment to job, low education, outdated concepts, indiscipline, corruption, lack of initiatives etc.

In summary, job security will rely heavily on dynamism in practice continuing education, initiatives and innovation, exertion of relevance and public relations. For the security of job in public Health to be sustainable both dynamism in practice and career opportunities in existence will have to be married together.

DEFINING THE WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment in public health practice can be defined in so many perspectives. Generally the aggregate should be such that is satisfying to the psychological, sociological and physical requirements of productivity and excellence.
[
Psychological Requirement
Psychological predisposition in a work environment is the function of the personality of the employee. It is important predisposition contingent to the employee to put up his beast and perform to excellence.

Some of the parameters necessary for a good psychological predisposition in a work environment border on employer, while others border on the employee. However, we can make a few checklists that can guide us in determining our psychological predisposition for excellent performance in the work environment:
• Does my employer attach any importance to my job?
• Is my remuneration fair and justified?
• What are my career opportunities in the job?
• Am I in love with the job I am doing? (personality profile)
• Am I confident in my skills and knowledge of the job? Etc

Sociological Requirement
• What are the public view/ perception of my job?
• What are my conflicts with other profession? (Intra-profession).
• What are the conflicts within my profession? (Intra-profession)
• Is my job effectively backed by law?
• Does my job enjoy political will?
• Safety from hazard, etc

Physical Requirement
• Decent office accommodation, furniture and functional equipment.
• Hygiene and welfare of work environment
• Lighting and ventilation
• Safety from hazard, etc


USE OF PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITIES
THE PRINT MEDIA
• Newspaper.
• Magazines
• Journals
• Newsletters
• Bulletins
• Bills
• Pictorials

ELECTRONIC MEDIA
• Radio
• Television
• E-mail
• Internet
• Public address systems etc.

We all live in a world of information technology; various means of disseminating information exist especially in the print and electronic media. Publicity is a important tool for the public to get to know what you do and the importance of your role in national development. Environmental health activities are may and concurrent, perhaps not much adequate publicity we can assume it has gained. The importance of environmental health activities are such that if blended with necessary desirable publicity activities print and electronic media will bring it and its practitioners to the desired limelight.

One notable example in Nigeria is the activities of the NATIONAL AGENCY FOR FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL (NAFDAC). The boy in the secondary or senior primary school today in Nigeria can not claim not to know NAFDAC. Manufactures, food processors, water vendors, drugs dealers and ordinary Nigerian citizens are all conversant with the activities of NAFDAC. Because of their national acclaim, government acknowledges their impacts and gives them the desired support. All these achievement are due to the commitment of the leadership and unmatched public they enjoy over the electronic media, the NTA.

One may be right to assume that NAFDAC has only a handful of staff operating in Abuja and the state capitals on matter of food and drug. However, the widely spread environmental health officers also empowered by law on matters of food and water, fall inferior on the face of NAFDAC officials when on duty. This is a refection of the power of media publicity.

Examples of other national organizations who have successfully exploited the opportunities of the electronic media to publicize their activities are the EFCC and the ICPC.

Environmental Health Activities seem to have a greater opportunity for the publicity of its activities if harnessed. Some of us were witnesses as to how monthly National Environmental sanitation programmes were nationally acclaimed and observed in the 80S and 90S. indirectly also the environmental health officer became an important person in the nook and crannies of this country. Even though one may argue that this happened because the military government was much interested in it. However, we don’t lose sight of the fact that the civilian administration and the generality of Nigerians wish for the return of sanitary conditions of the 80S.

A combination of democratic approach, consolidated public health laws and regulations and jingles over the electronic media shall bring even more virtues of environmental health activities to our national life to be used to be the 80S

SELF DISCIPLINE AND SELF MOTIVATION FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional development refers to vocational education with specific reference to continuing education of the person undertaking it in area of employment. It may also provide opportunities for other career paths. Vocational education has related to specific skills, usually tied to imme4diacy of getting or retaining employment.

The environmental health officer requires a professional development ad has been mentioned over and over again. It is also consistent with this mandatory continuing education programme. However, self discipline and motivation are the key processes to that development goal. A professional environmental health officer must imbibe the culture of self discipline and self motivation. Some of the attributes/ indicators are as follow:

SELF DISCIPLINE
• Reading widely and frequently
• Desire for further education
• Innovations and experimentation
• Self confidence
• interest in the job


CUEERNT GLOBALIZATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE
Globalization is an umbrella term for a complex series of economic social, technological, cultural and political changes seen as increasing interdependence, integration and interaction between people and companies in disparate locations. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). The phenomenon has been noted since the 1980s in the context of sociological study on a worldwide scale. The concept has referred to as the shrinking of time and space”.


Environmental Health practice is not free from the influence of globalization. Environmental threats to health are by no means limited to developing countries. About 80 million people are exposed to level of air pollution that can impair health in the United State. In China, which has one of the world fastest growing economies, 2 million people die each year from the effects of air and water pollution, according to one recent estimate. nearly 100 countries both developed and developing still use leaded gasoline unnecessarily exposing their citizen to a pollution long known to cause permanent brain damage (world resources 1998-99). Environmental health problems very dramatically from region to region, reflecting geography, climate and perhaps most important. a country’s level of economic development and policy choices. Many environmental health problems are associated with poverty and a lack of shelter, fuel and air. Indeed the world health organization has called poverty the world biggest killer. These environmental problems, prominent at the household or community level, underlie the 17million deaths each year from infectious diseases.

The goal of most countries of the world is an advance in economic and social development. Progress in science and technology, increasing exploitation of natural resources and industrialization strides has added to the burden of environmental health problems with those of pollution with pesticides, faces and industrials effluents.

These health problems are of a global dimension where as the globalization effect of science, technology, information in the communication has melted almost all dichotomies in the approach to tacking them. If there is a newly discovered approach to malaria prevention in India today, it’s only a matter of hours it will be heard or known in Nigeria. If it’s a product, easy Trans boundary trade will make it available in the matter of days.

At the level of health policies, international convention treaties and protocols have made our practices of environmental health transcendental over international boundaries. We sign treaties to ban the use of certain chemical substances within our borders, we promote certain practices across our borders etc. All these are influences imposed by globalization.

The name environmental health officers, our code of practices, our organization and our world view of practice are all influence of globalization.
The practice of environmental health cannot escape the influence of globalization in Nigeria. However, what is important is to be able to take advantage of whatever influence to adapt to suit our situation for improved service delivery and our goal of professional excellence.








REFERENCES
1. http:en.eikipedia.org/wiki/professional development,
2. MeMichael A.J. Campbell-lender,Covalan C.F Ebi, K.L Githeco, A Scheraga. J.D etal (2003) Climate Change and Human Health- Risks and Responses Who. UNEP, WMO pub location.
3. Robert D. and Ned, K. (2002), professional ethics page- www.
4. Umbersnout@Suckup.Net.