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Thursday, May 23, 2013

FUTO organizes International Conference 20-22nd May, 2013

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“Global health” said Dr [Mrs] Ihuoma P Asiabaka is the health of people in a global context and transcends the perspectives and concerns of individual nations. It is about worldwide improvement of health, reduction of disparities and protection against global threat that disregard national borders.
“Exposure to transnational threat such as climate change, poverty, violence, etc and a feeling of increase & shared responsibility for iniquities present in the world today necessitated a more global approach to improving the health of the world”.
It is based on these that the Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies, CWGDS, office of the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, in collaboration with Institute of Environmental Health Technology, IEHT, FUTO organizes an International conference on ‘Global Health: Issues, Challenges and Management. The event took place from 20-22nd May, 2013.
In his address, The Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof CC Asiabaka declares “As a university which has school of health technology with a clear mandate to research into health related issues and health technology, our concern is not limited to the production of professionals and specialist in the area of health technology, we are also expected to create fora such as this where relevant information and awareness on health, environmental issues would be examined, thoroughly discussed and implementable solutions proffered for the benefit of mankind and the society at large.
In her opening address to the conference, The Ag Director of CWGDS, Dr [Mrs] Ihuoma P Asiabaka said “Global health problems are as a result of economic, social, environmental, political and health care inequalities and thus require solution from interdisciplinary teams in such areas as health, education, social sciences, science and technology.
“The global health challenges include among other issues, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, emergency and refugee health, non communicable diseases, injuries, etc.
“Thus there is need for collaborative national and trans-national efforts including developing evidence-based policy research and using such evidence-based information constructively in all countries to improve health equity, and also using public health promotion strategies to improve health and underlying social, economic, environmental and political determinants of health”.
The lead paper was presented by Prof Linus Amobi Ilika of community medicine department, Nnamdi Azikwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, titled ‘Global health: issues, challenge and management’  and Dr. I. E. Anigbogu of the faculty of Law, Madonna University, Okija, which is ‘Sex, Sexuality and Gender imbalance’.
Prof Linus opined that “Global health has emerged as a growing field, particularly over the past two decades. Greater recognition of the global AIDS crisis, combined with the appearance and rapid international spread of epidemics such as SARS, anthrax, the Ebola virus, swine flu (H1N1), etc., have reinforced that health threats transcend national borders. While much of the media attention has focused on epidemic of infectious diseases, poverty, environmental pollution and degradation, social inequalities, global health looks at a wider scope of health problems, determinants, and solutions, such as chronic illnesses, accidents  and injuries. Other global health challenges include but not limited to poverty, environmental and health emergencies, gender violence and abuse, substance use and abuse, sex and sexuality, infant and maternal mortalities, terrorism etc”.
The Issues are that “For instance, health care systems are still neither available nor accessible (when and if available) to a great many people in Nigeria; infrastructural decay is common in the available health care systems; non-communicable diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung diseases) are still major threats to Nigerians between the ages of 30 and above; hundreds of children under the age of 5 die from malnutrition, diarrhoea, measles, respiratory diseases and mostly preventable diseases, each year. It is on records that millions of people die of infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis and malaria annually”.
“The biggest challenge in global health” said Prof Linus “is the lack of financial resources to combat the multiple scourges ravaging the world's poor and sick. Today, more funds are needed for pressing heath issues than ever before. Furthermore, funds are needed to support research, build health facilities, train more health personnel, build capacity and competence among health care providers……..”.
On the management he said “For the world to begin to address health issues, three principles of action should be considered, conditions of daily life have to be improved --- the conditions in which people are born, grow up, live, work and age; the inequitable distribution of power, money, and other resources has to be tackled; the structural drivers of those conditions of daily life globally, nationally, and  locally; and problems have to be measured, actions evaluated, knowledge base expanded; a workforce that is trained in the social determinants of health has to be developed, and a public awareness has to be raised about the social determinants of health. He  also added Millennium Development Goals.


Many papers were presented on topical and current contemporary global health issues which include some of th following, safe motherhood, child survival strategies, sex and sexuality, Malaria, substance use and abuse, poverty and health, environmental health in emergencies, etc. The conference was well attended by FUTO principal officers, academia, and participants across the nation, students inclusive.
Aisha Aminu, a participant from Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina has this to say “the papers presented are well packaged and timely, most especially those on gender inequality. Though I was pessimistic on coming; but my coming prove to be worth, and beneficial. I appreciate the organizers of the conference”. For Ugobo Emmanuel, 400 level student of Public Health, university of Calabar he said “ I gained a lot especially those issue on safe motherhood, gender imbalance and others which were touched in the communiqué issued, which are all for the promotion of public health, I am happy”.
Abdullahi Mustapha, from Sa’adatu Rimi college of Education, Kumbotso, Kano who present 2 papers had this to say on the conference “I appreciate the way the conference was organized, many participants across the nation came, we interact, educative papers were discusses and solution proffered”.
For John Kilakime, 500 level, Environmental Health Technology “As an environmental health student, my eye is now to the current global health issues, as there is no one single profession that has exclusive monopoly over how the problems could be solve, all disciplines are important. My interest in the conference is on environmental health in emergencies, for wherever there is an emergency, environmental health issues shall arise, like sanitary condition, water supply, food supplementation, food hygiene, etc., heavy metal resistance in microbes, health care financing & poverty and safe motherhood”.
At the end of the conference, a communiqué was produced which emphasizes among others the importance of safe motherhood, the challenges of drugs and alcohol abuse, established relationship between poverty and ill health, improper waste disposal practice; and recommends among others the need for greater involvement of stakeholders in the promotion of public and environmental health, empowerment of women, address inadequate distribution of health facilities and improved budget allocation to health.

WELCOME ADDRESS BY DR. (MRS.) IHUOMA P. ASIABAKA, AG. DIRECTOR CENTRE FOR WOMEN, GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES FUTO, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2013 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “GLOBAL HEALTH: ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND MANAGEMENT” IN FUTO, HOLDING FROM MONDAY 20TH TO THURSDAY 23RD MAY, 2013.


PROTOCOLS
I feel highly delighted and honoured to welcome you all to the 2013 International Conference on Global Health: Issues, Challenges and Management.
Global Health is the health of people in a global context and transcends the perspectives and concerns of individual nations.  It is about worldwide improvement of health, reduction of disparities and protection against global threats that disregard national borders.

Exposure to transnational threats such as climate change, poverty, violence etc and a feeling of increased and shared responsibility for inequities present in the world today necessitated a more global approach to improving the health of the world population.
In global health issues, it is important to emphasize that the developed world does not have  monopoly  of good ideas; and therefore efforts mmust be made across cultures to develop better approaches for the management  of common diseases, the environment and more efficient means of food production and distribution.  It calls for a shift in philosophy and attitude that emphasize real partnership, a pooling of experience and knowledge, and a two-way flow of information between developed and developing countries.  Global health uses the resources, knowledge and experiences of diverse societies to address health challenges throughout the world.
The Global Health Strategy Report, released by the Centre for Disease Control emphasized that the overall aim of global health is to ensure a world where people live healthier, safer and longer lives.  These could be achieved by protecting and improving global health through providing technical expertise, translating research into public health policies and practices, developing surveillance and strategic information systems, conducting monitoring and evaluation activities, improving emergency preparedness and response capabilities etc.
Global health problems are as a result of economic, social, environmental, political and health care inequalities and thus require solution from interdisciplinary teams in such areas as health, education, social sciences, science and technology.
 The global health challenges include among other issues, HIV/AIDS, malaria, emergency and refugee health, non-communicable diseases, injuries etc.
Thus there is need for collaborative national and trans-national efforts including developing evidence-based policy research and using such evidence-based information constructively in all countries to improve health equity; and also using public health promotion strategies to improve health and underlying social, economic, environmental and political determinants of health.
This International Conference will x-ray the following sub- themes:
·        Safe motherhood
·        Child survival strategies
·        Sex and sexuality
·        Gender violence and abuse
·        Roll on, roll back malaria
·        Community management and control of HIV/AIDS
·        Aging and health
·        Substance use and abuse
·        Poverty and health
·        Environmental health in emergencies
It is hoped that at the end of this Conference, suggestions will emerge on how to;
·        Translate researches into public health policies and practices
·        Form partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, research institutes and agencies on the use of traditional plants and methods for the management of health problems.
·        Use vaccines for the management of health problems.
·        Improve health capacities and resources
·        Design health care-systems to promote population health.
·        Improve global governance
·        Co-ordinate actions across countries in response to disaster and violence
·         Eradicate  diseases
I wish to most sincerely thank our assiduous Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chigozie C. Asiabaka KSM, JP and the University Management for approving and financially supporting this conference.  I also thank our lead paper presenters.  Prof. Amobi Linus  Ilika and Dr. Barr. I.E. Anigbogu.  I am very grateful to the Local Organizing Committee for making this conference a reality.  Finally, I appreciate in a very special way the entire staff and students of the University for their love and support.
Once more I welcome you all to the 2013 International Conference on Global Health: Issues, Challenges and Management.
Thank you and God bless you.

Dr. (Mrs.) Ihuoma P. Asiabaka LSM, MNIM
Ag. Director, CWGDS


Sunday, May 19, 2013

International conference on 'Role and Place of research in Environmental Health Practice

The Society for Environmental Health of Nigeria (SEHON), in Collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Health Technology, Federal University of Technology; Owerri (FUTO) & Environmental Health Officers Registration Council Of Nigeria (EHORECON) is organizing an International Conference on the Role of Research in Improved Environmental Health Practice



Sub-themes  :
i. The importance of research in Environmental Health
ii. Identification of Issues for research in Environmental Health Practice
iii. Epidemiology in Environmental  Health
iv. Research design, organization and referencing in Environmental Public Health
v. Data gathering, analysis and interpretation in Environmental Health
vi. Proposal writing and grantmanship
vii. Instrumentation in Environmental Health
viii. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis in Environmental Health  

EH Conference :
i. To equip participant with knowledge and skills to initiate and conduct research in Environmental Health field.
ii. To list areas of Environmental Health for immediate research focus in 2013 & 14.
iii. To identify resources available for research in Environmental Health in Nigeria
iv. To adopt a-5 year research agenda for Environmental Health in Nigeria
v. To develop a template for Environmental Health research inventory in Nigeria
The conference will hold in Federal University of  Technology, Owerri (FUTO),  from 13th to 15thJune
2013.

For more info, please call dr Kalu Obasi on 08036373731