INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT HONOURABLE (MRS) LAURENTIAL LARABA MALLAM AT THE INAUGURATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL OF NIGERIA OM MONDAY 11TH AUGUST 2014 AT ROCK VIEW ROYALE HOTEL WUSE ZONE II ABUJA

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment,
The Chairman of the Council,
Members of the Council,
Directors here present,
Gentlemen of the Press,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

I am very happy and grateful to God to be here today to inaugurate the
Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria on behalf of the President
and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, who is authorized by the enabling Act to establish this
Council.

2. This inauguration is the third in the life of this Council having been established for
the first time in 2004. This inauguration is coming at a time when the improvement in
various components of Environmental Health is of utmost public concern due mainly to the
abysmal situation of such in public concerns in such areas like waste management, global
warming and climate change, poverty alleviation, and general environmental protection.

3. The present administration is determined to improve the environmental quality of
all facets of the country to assuage public concerns. The Environmental Health Officer
(Sanitary Inspector) therefore as the officer on the frontline of this battle for
environmental protection must be re-established by government to meet this need.

4. The Profession of Environmental Health, I am aware has a long and enviable
history, having started during the agricultural and industrial revolution of 1750-1900 in
Great Britain. The practice of the profession which was introduced into Nigeria by the
colonial government due to their determination to ensure a safe environment for the
colonial government proved its usefulness. The impact of your predecessors manifested in
the eradication of some of the major communicable diseases of the 1950’s and 60’s such as
Yaws, Plague and Small Pox and these efforts were well appreciated by the Nigerian
people. Other communicable diseases spread by filthy environment such as cholera,
Malaria, typhoid etc were equally kept at bay. The older generation of Nigerian still
remember with nostalgia the effectiveness of the then Sanitary Inspector called
Dubagari, Nwole-ala, and Wole-wole in the Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba languages respectively
and still clamour for the re-introduction of the cadre in our various communities in order
to restore environmental sanity into such communities. My ministry is ready to work with
the Council to ensure the early return of the Environmental Health Officer with the aim
of attaining the level of effectiveness witnessed during the colonial era and beyond.

5. The importance of the environmental health officer as a preventive health officer
is accepted globally and that is why the World Health Organisation (WHO) consultation on
the role, function and training requirements of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in
1978, concluded that “experience of those countries which have officers with special
training in Environmental Health who are recognized as constituting a specific profession
clearly demonstrates their values. Thus it would be to the advantage of all member states
to introduce into their Environmental Health service, staff of this kind”, and I am happy to
acknowledgement that Nigeria has long fulfilled this requirement.

6. When I assumed office in the Ministry, I received so many letters from various
factions of the Environmental Health Officers Association alleging one form of misconduct
or the other by members of the profession. This kind of situation should not be in a
regulated profession which should be seen to be populated with men and women of very
high level of discipline. I believe that because there is now a Council, you should settle the
issues so we can focus on the bigger picture of delivering high quality service to Nigerians.
In exercise of my powers under section 7 of the Act therefore, I request you to look into
these issues as well as all reports of breach of the code of ethics of the profession by
some members across the nation. I want you to carry out full investigation and ensure
that integrity is the watch word of practitioners and any person(s) no matter how highly
placed found to have compromised should be appropriately sanctioned in line with the code
of professional ethics guiding the profession.

7. I wish to express the gratitude of Mr. President and Commander in Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, to 5
all the members of the last Council especially to the former Council Chairman HRH Alhaji
(Dr.) Yunusa Muhammadu Danyaya OON the Emir of Ningi, for finding time out of his busy
schedules to have served meritoriously in the Council for 6 years. I equally thank those
being inaugurated today for accepting to Serve in the Council.

8. Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of Mr. President and Commander - in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, it
is my Honour and Pleasure to formally inaugurate the Board of the Environmental Health
Officers Registration Council of Nigeria.

9. Thank you.

Hon. (Mrs.) Laurential Laraba Mallam
Honourable Minister of
11th August 2014

ADDRESS BY THE CHAIRMAN OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL OF NIGERIA (EHORECON), PROF. OLADAPO A. AFOLABI OON, CFR ON THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE 3RD GOVERNING BOARD OF THE COUNCIL AT ROCKVIEW HOTEL, ABUJA

On behalf of myself and other members of the governing  board of Environmental Health Officers Registration  council of Nigeria, I like to thank the Management and the Honourable Minister of Environment and Mr. President for  finding us worthy to serve on this Board. We express our sincere gratitude which we request the Honourable Minister to convey to Mr. President.

The importance of environmental Health especially in this  era of emerging new diseases cannot be over emphasized  as this cadre of professionals hold the key to the prevention of transmittable and communicable diseases  including the protection of aesthetics of our environment.

Indeed they are responsible for the general health outlook of the nation. It is therefore important that the nation’s health policy and strategy should emphasize preventive health care and this is where the relevance of the environmental health professionals especially the environmental health officers should be written in bold and indelible ink.

This being so, it is clear that environmental health officers are in big deficit. As of today we have only about 13,000 trained and only 8,000 are registered. This is far short of at least 22,000 expected, considering WHO requirement of 1 EHO to 8,000 people. This is what has given room to the employment of unqualified personnel by various governments to do our job, especially States and Local Governments and giving them all sorts of titles such as environmental marshalls, environmental corps etc. Of course garbage in, garbage out. Results of unqualified personnel manning such sensitive professional practices is the cause of the unending epidemic of communicable and transmittable diseases in our communities. This
situation needs to be addressed and corrected.

The council may need to carry out advocacy to state government, to give priority to environmental health
interventions which are known globally to be cheaper and save more money than the present situation of advocating medical based interventions even in areas that obviously
require otherwise.

We also need to pay advocacy visit on the need for tertiary institutions to popularize training in this field by offering degrees and diploma programmes. It is quite unacceptable that in over 100 years that the colonial
administration introduced this profession, only 2 Universities are offering degree programmes for
environmental health officers.

For us to remain relevant and responsible, I once again invite members of this profession to rededicate
themselves and carry on their duties with honour, dignity and integrity. The profession had already made a name for itself and we should keep it up.

We know that our society of today has lost a lot of our value system and some of our members could easily be tempted to engage in unwholesome practices. For this group, hard times await them as the Council will not hesitate to discipline anyone who brings the image of the profession into ridicule.

In conclusion, I wish to state that the task before the Council is enormous and require the dedication of all the members and the full support of government. We pledge our loyalty to the government and commitment to this duty of further improving the profession by continuing from where the last Council stopped.

Thank you.

Dated  11TH AUGUST, 2014

ADDRESS BY THE PIONEER CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL OF NIGERIA, ALHAJI (DR) MUHAMMADU YUNUSA DANYAYA OON ON THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS

It is my honour and privilege to address this very true august gathering
as the Chairman of the pioneer Council of this our great profession of
Environmental Health Officers. I have a feeling of fulfillment in being
here today to witness this inauguration of the second governing Board of
our great Council. I have looked forward to this day with utmost passion.
The last two years of our Board dissolution has seemed eternity going
by the necessity and import of the Governing Board to the growth of our
young profession.
When we were inaugurated in the year 2004, there was almost nothing
to build on. I remember informing the then Hon. Minister and Council that
the assignment given to us was to revive a dead profession. There was
no government establishment, no staff, no office accommodation, zero
funding, and a profession and professionals in disarray. We had to start
from the scratch in establishing the register of persons in the practice of
the profession and reaching out in advocacy to government, the general
public as well as the practitioners themselves who knew very little about
the nitty-gritties of professional regulation.
Today, we can point at a rented office accommodation at the center and
six zonal offices nationwide, we can also display and categorize
practitioners of environmental health according to sub-professional lines,
sex and age, geography and standing with the Council or any other
characteristic of interest. We have also improved greatly on the
standards of professional training and practice of the profession in
Nigeria. The Minimum Bench Mark for training of environmental health
officers in Nigeria Universities from the National Universities
Commission, new Curriculum for OND & HND, Practice Guide for
environmental health officers in Nigeria, Disciplinary Committee Rules
issued by the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Hon. Justice Dahiru
Mustafa GCON and the Disciplinary Committee Assessors Rules issued
by the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello 2
Adoke, SAN. These are some of the lasting achievements recorded by
Council during our tenure.

I Thanks the Almighty Allah for guiding the Council. I wish to publicly
acknowledge that the Council had a committed young man in the
personality of the pioneer Registrar (Mr. Augustine Ebisike). He worked
very hard greatly complementing our efforts in founding the profession.
Let me quickly add that Mr. Ebisike has potentials yet to be tapped and I
make bold to commend him for other higher appointments in the service
of our dear nation.
The urgent challenges I see the new Council will be facing are
challenges of professional misconduct by members that needs to be
dealt with, poor recruitment by government at all levels as it seems there
is an “understanding” to allows Environmental Health Officers go into
extinction in the Federal Ministries and parastatals where their numbers
have dwindled from over 1000 in the 1980s to less than 50 this year.
Their numbers in the various states and LGAs is not in any way better.
I have no doubt, given the calibre of people in the current Board of the
Council that the challenges both listed and yet to be encountered will not
alter the path to Environmental Health regaining its pride of place in the
scheme of things in the professional service delivery in the Country. This
I am sure Mr. President saw in assembling this worthy team under the
Chairmanship of an erudite Scholar, experienced bureaucrat and
esteem statesman – Professor Oladapo Afolabi MFR.
I must at this point commend the President and Commander in Chief of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan GCFR for his leadership. The gift of the current Minister of
Environment – Mrs. Lawrentia Laraba Mallam, and the current Board of
the Council is true to Mr. President as a visionary leader and an
environmentalist to the core. Mr. President, I am happy that you treasure
environmental health as a key to the actualization of your cherished
Tranformation Agenda. What remains is for your co-pilots namely – state
governors and Local Government Chairmen to see this noble profession
through your eyes. In doing this, the National Assembly and their
counterparts in the other tiers will give the profession the needed
legislation it requires for effective service delivery.3
During our tenure, we favourably enjoyed the support of the Federal
Ministry of Environment throughout out tenure in the Council. Even when
there were regime changes at the center and the Ministry, our level of
support and patronage never dropped.
Before I end this address, Hon. Minister, permit me to make this parting
request to Mr. President; “I want to hear during the next Council
inauguration that the Federal Ministry of Environment has a fully staffed
Directorate of Environmental Health which will model for states and local
governments to copy, and a fully staffed environmental sanitation
commission centrally controlled but with activity in all local governments
and wards in Nigeria”.
Thank you, Hon. Minister, Chairman of Council, Ladies and Gentlemen
for listening.
HRH Alh. (Dr.) Yunusa M. Danyaya OON.

Dated  11TH AUGUST, 2014

Environmental health, solution to Nigeria's healthcare problems-Prof Amadi

By Mohammed Sani Garba

The 25^th inaugural lecture of Federal University of Technology, Owerri [FUTO] will continue to be remembered for a long time due its uniqueness, timeliness and the full attendance it garner. The lecture was delivered by the ‘People’s Professor’, Professor of public health and specialist in environmental health and safety, Head of Department, Public Health, and Coordinator, Environmental Health Program, FUTO-Prof A. N. Amadi titled ‘Environmental Health: The dynamics, application, implications and way forward in Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system’.

In his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof CC Asiabaka describe inaugural lecture as a lecture when a professor worth the name would come and tell the world and academia  who s/he is and what s/he has been professing, his contributions to the academia and the development of the society via his research, etc.

Prof Amadi describe environmental health as a polyvalent public health field which was defined in various way; for instance, some make references to the relationship between people and environment, others focus on abating/mitigating hazards, yet some see it as promoting health and enhancing environment, while others extend more broadly to aspect of the social and built environment.

He therefore said that environmental health is ‘complex’ or ‘many things’, an interdisciplinary professional and academic field, an area of research and an area of applied public health practice.

Based on these, he stated that environmental health is a basic science of public health practice that is concern with the technologies of promoting health, preventing disease, and prolonging life through well-organized integrated environmental interventions based on community participation, institutional effort/support and integrated research.

On the dynamics of environmental health in Nigeria, it dated back to 3 periods, pre-independence [1860-1960]; post independence [1969-1999]; and 21^st century era. In the later period, Environmental Health Council of Nigeria was established, practice guide for environmental health practitioners was produced, approval of Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard [BMAS] by National Universities Commission, among others.

The application of environmental health, Prof Amadi stated is quite wide and it is all about organization of its services which in Nigeria covers 18 components, like environmental health control of housing and sanitation, epidemiological investigation of disease and control, water resources management and sanitation, control of frontiers, air and seaport, and border crossings, among others. But factors like wrong priorities, lack of political will, preference of curative than preventive health, restriction of decision making to very few practitioners, etc are among the factors currently influencing performance of environmental health practice in Nigeria.

On the implication of environmental health, Prof Amadi said that it is two phase, adequate and inadequate. The later leads to public health implications that include social misery, especially for women, the elderly and children; widespread damage to human health and child survival prospects; pollution to the living environment and water resources; and depressed economic productivity and human development.

The former results in multiplier effects on virtually all aspects of life and overall development of the country, some of which include decrease in mortality and morbidity rates of sanitation related diseases; increase in productivity and reduction of poverty, improvement of nutrition and the physical mental growth of children; improvement of school enrolment, attendance and performance; and increase in the survival of people living with HIV/AIDS, among others.

On the way forward, Prof Amadi recommended the following among others, environmental health practitioners should have enough will power to do what is right and urgent, decision making in the health sector should be extended by the key players to as many practitioners in the field as necessary, current environmental health services facilities should be renewed and upgraded, new ones should be built.

In his closing remark, the Vice Chancellor FUTO, appreciated and commended the inaugural lecturer for saying it all on the topic and his contributions in the field of environmental health practice in Nigeria. He challenged others to propose their topic so that the lecture could be done on monthly basis.

Participants expressed happiness over the large turnout, which they describe as the biggest inaugural lecture attended above the capacity of the lecture hall, and the relevance of the topic in contemporary Nigeria’s development.

Prof Amadi is a registered and certified sanitarian, Fellow, Society of Environmental Health, Fellow, Institute Industrial Administration , Associate member of Nigeria Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Fellow, Royal Society for Public health [UK], and an active consultant to various governmental and private sector in the country among others.

FUTO's 25th Inaugural lecture

Announcement

The 25th Federal University of Technology, Owerri [FUTO] Inaugural Lecture is scheduled to take place on 23rd July, 2014 By People’s Professor, the Professor of Environmental Health and Safety, Head of Department, Public Health, Coordinator, Institute of Environmental Health Technology, [IEHT], Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof, Agwu Nkwa Amadi, BSc, MSc. [public health], PhD [FUTO], FSEH, FRSPH, FWAEPHL, LEHO.

The title of the lecture is ‘Environmental Health: The Dynamics, Applications, Implications and the Way Forward in Nigeria's Health Care Delivery System'.

Venue: 1000 capacity lecture hall

Chief Host: Prof CC Asiabaka, B.sc, M.Sc, [Georgia], Ph.D. [Louisiana], Fseh, KSM, JP Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri [FUTO].

Chairman Lecture series committee: Prof MOE Iwuala, B.Sc, [Nig], M.Sc, Ph.D [London], FLS, FNSP, FBSN, C.Biol [England], Director, University linkages and advancement unit.

FUTO: School holds 6th lecture series

In the continuation of the School of Health Technology [SOHT] lecture series, the 6^th lecture was held recently. The lecture was delivered by Dr. John Anamelechi Ihebereme, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Imo state which coincide with the 2014 global hygiene day, titled ‘Role of hand hygiene in combating antimicrobial resistance’.

The Dean, School of Health Technology [SOHT], Prof I. N. S. Dozie stated that the main idea behind the institution of the lecture series is in line with the current university administration’s ‘the quest for excellence’ which encourages schools within the university to be innovative, creative and purposive. He enjoins the participants to make use of the lecture in their life and change their attitudes towards hand cleanliness.

Dr Ihebereme stated that hand washing is an act of cleaning one’s hand with or without the use of water or another liquid or with use of soap for the purpose of removing soil, dirt or microorganism, therefore it is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of acquiring an infections including those that are resistant to antimicrobes.

He encourages hand washing before food preparation, eating, feeding of children, and after defaecation, cleaning babies, sneezing, etc with soap or alcohol based cleanser.

To prevent antimicrobial resistance, he called on patients to discuss with their healthcare provider the appropriate medicine for their illness to avoid overuse, underuse or misuse, challenged patients to face their doctors, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners to always wash their hand accordingly before touching them, regulate eating chicken, and other animals that are on regular antibiotics among others.

In his closing remark, Prof I. N. S. Dozie reemphasizes on the importance of hand washing and challenged his school [SOHT] to lead by example in inculcating hygiene and environment friendly attitudes, thereby exporting it to others for the betterment of society.

The lecture was well attended by the school principal officers, lecturers, students and others.

.Mohammed Sani Garba, Public Health Technology department, Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

Students celebrates 2014 World Malaria Day

By Mohammed Sani Garba

Environmental Health Technology Students Association [EHTSA], Federal University of Technology, Owerri [FUTO] celebrated 2014 World Malaria Day. The celebration this year started across the university environment to create awareness about the day before addressing students and general public.

In his speech, the president of the association, Comrade Celestine Onah traced the history of the day to the 60^th World Health Assembly in March 2007, which replaced ‘Africa Malaria Day’, and focus to provide education and understanding of malaria as a global scourge which needs joint efforts in controlling the diseases.

The Dean, School of Health Technology [SOHT], Prof. I. N. S. Dozie expressed his happiness about the effort of the students in marking the day and call on stakeholders to join hands and reduce the incidences of malaria across the globe, which Africa contribute the highest number of morbidity and mortality globally; pledge his support to the students anytime such will arise, and hope the marking of the day and others be sustained.

The theme of the day is ‘Invest in the future. Defeat malaria’, but the association rephrase and localize it to ‘Invest in the future. Defeat malaria through environmental health approach’.

The association recommends adequate funding on environmental health services across the nation as the solution to malaria prevention, research grants to institutions like FUTO to carry out more research on malaria, and engaging of environmental health practitioners in piloting the affairs of malaria control to get maximum and efficient results among others.

Haruna B. Wakili, a graduating student of environmental health technology had this to say on the day “We commemorate the day like other organizations across the world; I am happy that my association engages fully in marking the day which brought glory to my department, my Dean was very happy and proud of the effort of my association. The message we are sending is that, malaria is an environmental health problems and needs environmental health solutions, simple”.

But Ijeoma Mang 400 level environmental health technology said “The celebration of the day is a success. It really widen my knowledge that malaria control do not lies in drugs, insecticide treated nets only but wholly on environmental health management and control. I am grateful to my association for commemorating the day”.

NAHESTS holds lecture

By Mohammed Sani

The National Association of Health Science and Technology Students [NAHESTS], Federal University of Technology, Owerri present Campus Student’s Movement in collaboration with Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Imo state chapter held a one day seminar on topical health issues.

Declaring the event open, the Dean, School of Health Technology, Prof. I. N. S. Dozie who was represented, welcome the speakers by coming to impart knowledge on wide range health issues; he called on the participants to practice what they would listen; and expressed his happiness by associating with these organizations that organizes the events.

In her paper on ‘cervical cancer’, Dr. Egwim Adana describes cervical cancer as a disease affecting women and the risk factors include being female, repeated sexual intercourse, multiple sexual partners, smoking, etc. and call on every woman to be going for screening periodically to avoid it in future, as it has no cure but can be prevented by vaccination, hence call for public awareness, regular screening, vaccination.

Dr. E. O. Ofundu in her paper titled ‘Healthy Skin’ describes skin as the largest organ of the body, as a mirror of the internal/body and a reflection of psychological, emotional, physical and mental trauma to the body. She looks at skin as either normal, dry, oily and combination of these three, which needs different approach in making it healthy.

To maintain a healthy skin, she call on participants to eat well balance diet, cleanse all make up before sleep, exfoliate regularly and avoidance of drugs that cause skin sensitivity.

Dr. Uche Onyekwere, a representative of Sebamed-makers of medical care products, delivered her paper on ‘Acne and Skin’ and look at acne as a “skin condition that occurs when the hair follicles over produce cells and becomes plugged with oil and dead skin cells. As a result, it swells and forms a white head which can be seen as a black head at the surface of skin”. He describes medical skin care products as products uses as a skin care routine that is suited to the particular characteristic of your skin, it strengthen its protective mechanisms and help it cope with stress and environmental influences, while cosmetic skin products are not, they are even dangerous to the natural skin.

The commissioner of Health Imo state, Dr. Edward O. Ihejirika, represented by Dr. Iyanya P. C. expressed his happiness by associating Imo state to the event in bringing issue of cervical cancer, skin care to the public domain to raise their awareness on how to take care of their health, which is also part of the state ministry of health mandate. He stated that Imo state government has completed plan to establish a diagnostic centre for cervical cancer menace.

The Campus Student’s Movement represented by Owums Henry C. tells participants that the organization “is a non-political movement that is centered at a better health care delivery amongst the youth, the civic responsibilities as youth, their social responsibilities to mention a few”.

He thanks the university management for hosting the programme.

2014 World Malaria Day in Federal University of Technology Owerri

The Department of Public Health Technology and Institute of Environmental Health technology [IEHT], Federal University of Technology, Owerri [FUTO], in conjunction with Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies [CWGDS], Office of the Vice Chancellor will celebrates World Malaria Day on 25th April, 2014.
The theme of this year is ‘Invest in the future. Defeat malaria’

The day will feature
• Lectures
• Procession

* Malaria Screening

Announcer, Prof A. N. Amadi, Head of Department, Public Health Technology and Coordinator, Institute of Environmental Health Technology, FUTO.

School holds 5th lecture series

School Of Health Technology [SOHT], Federal University of Technology, Owerri held it 5^th lecture series recently. The lecture was delivered by a renowned lecturer of department of public health, Dr. Uchechukwu Chukwuocha titled ‘Antimalarial drug resistance: Molecular considerations and implications for evidence based research in Nigeria’.

“Malaria is a disease of poverty and major hindrance to economic development” Said Chukwuocha and that notwithstanding the number of malaria deaths across the world, “the actual number deaths are not known with certainty, as accurate data unavailable in many rural areas and many cases are undocumented”.

On the factors that contribute to the spread of resistance he stated human behaviour-drug pressure due to complacency, indiscriminate drug usage and adulterated drugs; and biological influence as in pharmacokinetic of drugs and reaction with parasite, decreased immunity, malnutrition and cross reactivity with drugs for other ailments.

He therefore listed the tools that can be used to monitor drug resistance to include therapeutic efficacy test, in vitro studies of parasite susceptibility to drugs in culture, case detection, molecular methods of gene mutations or gene amplifications associated with parasite resistance.

He calls on the need for high-quality monitoring of antimalarial drug resistance, sustained funding and encouragement of high level research for routine monitoring, continuous surveillance of molecular drug resistance to inform better planning and effective/timely implementation of drug policies based on evidence which will help in the timely detection of resistance for any particular drug in use at any point in time so that changes in drug policy can be made in time, and there is need to routinely evaluate and update our malaria treatment policies.

In his remark, the Dean, School of Health Technology [SOHT] calls on the students to be committed and dedicated in their academic studies as the future of Africa lies in their hand, for Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis are the major diseases affecting Africa, so I encourage you to go into research in these and many more diseases.

The attractive part of the lecture is the issue of the advocacy by the lecturer for the return of Chloroquine and sickle cell patient’s malaria which drew a series of intellectual debate by scholars, whereby Dr. Sikiru Lamina, Dr Okorie, Engr Azeez and Prof A. N. Amadi brainstorm to the delight of student.

Mohammed Sani, Public health department, FUT, Owerri

Association Welcomes freshers

Association of Public Health Technology Students [APHETS] has held it ‘Health week, orientation & lectureship’ of new students of the department. The event that last four days, starts from raising awareness of the programme, to diabetes and HIV/AIDS screening, football match and lecture.

In his opening remark, the Dean, School of Health Technology [SOHT], Prof I. N. S. Dozie encouraged the students to lead by example by ensuring a green environment free of dirt’s and litter while paying attention to their academic studies.

In her speech, The immediate Associate Dean, SOHT, Prof S. T Oparaocha also advised the students to pay attention to their studies, not to hate their lecturers, relate well with their fellow students, and cultivate good moral, as university is meant to model a student morally and academically, hence, encourage them to  make hay while the sun shine.

The Head of Department, Public Health, Prof A. N. Amadi presents a paper titled ‘Sanitation and Hygiene: A panacea for a healthy living’, and also congratulates students for choosing a beautiful course anchored on promoting and protecting health, and prolonging life.

In the paper he presented, the immediate Dean, School of Health Technology, Prof C. O. Abanobi titled ‘Careers in Public Health’, he educate the students on the prospects of public health practice and challenges ahead. He therefore calls on the students to remain focus, committed and dedicated so that they can excel in their studies.

An award was given to Prof C. O. Abanobi, Prof S. T. Oparaocha and Prof A. N. Amadi for their various contributions to the department since inception, public and environmental health practice in the country and the world at large.

The representative of the Registrar, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria [EHORECON], Mr Lawrence Ohorozor call on the student that may choose environmental health and safety option to register with EHORECON after graduation by passing its examination before engaging in practice. He promised to offer automatic employment in his organization for the student that graduates with first class in Public Health.

During the programme, news was read by APHETS radio, an interview was aired by APHETS TV on diabetes, a song by Dr. Mrs. Nwafor, dance and entertainment take over for the enjoyment of the new students and others.

Onyema Kennedy one of the new students said “I learnt a lot in this orientation, from career in public health, diabetes, to sanitation & hygiene. I am proud to recommend public health course to my friends as their chosen field of study due to it wide prospects”. Mbadi-Igwe Kosisochukwu shared her opinion by saying “I learnt about my department and what it is all about, also the contribution I can make to public health practice. If I graduate, I will make an impact in my community, country and the world at large”.

For Chinenye Eze “I now know the careers in Public Health, the things you can practice after graduation, know about diabetes mellitus, it causes and how to control/prevent it. I am simply happy”.

The president of APHETS that organizes the programme, Comrade Osuji Miracle said on the orientation “it is to educate the new students on the their chosen course and what it is all about, considering some of them might have chooses it by chance. Also to let them know how public health department operates and relates with students so that they can maximize their potentials to excel in their new course of study”.

The event was attanded by other lecturers of the department like Dr Joakin Nwakoro, Dr. Chimezie Iwuala, and Dr Udiji.

Mohammed Sani, department of public health, FUT, Owerri