Environmental and Public Health Watch

Saturday, June 26, 2021

STAKEHOLDERS APPEARANCE ON WEDNESDAY 10TH JUNE, 2020 FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES BILL

STAKEHOLDERS APPEARANCE ON WEDNESDAY 10^TH JUNE, 2020 FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES BILL
SNo.	Name of Stakeholder Organization
1	Equity International Initiative
2.	Action Group on Free Civil Space
3.	Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria
4.	Nigeria Immigration Service
5.	NCDC
6.	National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (NACHPN)
7.	Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria
8.	Initiative for the Development of Future Accountable Leaders
9.	Nigeria Agric Quarantine Service (NAQS)
10.	Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board
11.	AFD Coalition Against Mandatory Vaccination
12.	Society for Environmental and Public Health of Nig. (SEPHON)
13.	National Council for Women Societies (NCWS)
14.	Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP)
15.	NAFDAC
16.	National Association of Catholic Lawyers
17.	Nigeria Infectious Diseases Society
18.	Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association
19.	Association of Public Health Physicians of Nig. (APHPN)
20.	Society for Public Health Professionals of Nig. (SPHPN)
21.	Doctors Health Initiative
22.	Happy Home Foundation
23.	Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria
24.	Foundation of African Cultural Heritage
25.	Epidemiological Society of Nigeria (EPISON)
26.	Nursing & Midwifery Council of Nigeria
27.	Veterinary Council of Nigeria
28.	Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB)
29.	Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLAFON)
30.	Environmental Health Regulation
31.	Coalition of Civil Society for Citizen Action Against Covid-19
32.	Health Sector Reform Coalition
33.	University of Lagos (Faculty of Law)
34.	National Islamic Centre Zaria
35.	Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)
36	Legislative Advocacy Initiative for Sustainable Dev. (LISDEL)
37	Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF)
38.	National Islamic Centre, Zaria
39.	Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN)
40.	Chief Justice of Nigeria
41.	ALGON
42.	National Primary Health Development
43.	Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors
44.	Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria
45.	Nigerian Police Force
46.	Dangote Foundation
47.	UNICEF
48.	Association of Chemists
49.	Shippers Council of Nigeria
50.	National Institute of Legislative Studies NILDS
51	Magistrate Association of Nigeria
52.	Dr. Mohammed Etudaiye, Faculty of Law University of Abuja
53.	Dr. Charles Omole
54.	Prof. Dimie Ogoina, President Nigerian Infectious Disease Society

STAKEHOLDERS APPEARANCE ON THURSDAY 11^TH JUNE, 2020 FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES BILL
1.	Citizens Coalition Against Impunity and Injustice
2.	Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN)
3.	Amnesty International Nigeria
4.	Traditional Medicine Association of Nigeria (TMAN)
5.	Obi of Onitsha
6.	Ooni of Ife
7.	Sultan of Sokoto
8.	NAFDAC
9.	Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)
10.	Jamatu Nasir Islam
11.	College of Nigerian Pathologists
12.	Association of Public Health Physicians of Nig. (APHPN)
13.	Nigerian Christian Graduate Fellowship (NCGF)
14.	Professional Association of Public Health Nurses of Nig. (PAPHNON)
15.	Catholic Bishops Conference of
16.	Nigeria Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria and Centre for Health Science Training
17.	Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP)
18.	The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
19.	JOHESU
20.	Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria
21.	Livingseed Team Inc.
22	The Stage for Women Coalition
23.	Association of Medical Officers of Health in Nigeria (AMOHN)
24.	Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria
25.	Centre for Peace Building and Socio-Economic Resources Development
26.	Ministry of Health
27.	Ministry of Justice
28.	Ministry of Women Affairs
29.	Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Northern State
30.	Yiaga Africa
31.	Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN)
32.	Legislative advocacy initiative for sustainable develoment
33.	Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN)
34.	Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU)
35.	Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria
36.	Citizen Coalition Against Impunity and Justice
37.	NHIS
38.	Nigerian Human Rights Commission
39.	Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria
40.	Pharmacy Council of Nigeria
41.	Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
42.	Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)
43.	Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS)
44.	National Association of Microbiologists
45.	Association of Airline Operators
46.	Port Health Workers
47.	Vessel Owners Association
48.	Representative of Coalition of Civil Societies

PRESS BRIEFING BY THE MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, DR MOHAMMAD MAHMOOD ABUBAKAR ON THE ON-GOING LASSA FEVER OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA

I am delighted to welcome you all to this vitally important Press Briefing which is intended to sensitize the Media and the general public on the current disturbing Lassa fever outbreak in the country.

2.As you are very much aware, Nigeria is currently experiencing lassa fever outbreak in several parts of the country with reported cases of fatalities. Latest report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released on 25th January 2020 has it that 195 confirmed cases and 29 deaths have been recorded in 11 States of Nigeria namely: Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Delta, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Ogun, Abia, Kano and Enugu. Out of the confirmed cases, 89% are from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States. It is against this background that the Federal Ministry of Environment is organising this Press Briefing to respond to the increasing number of lassa fever cases across the country, sensitize the general public on lassa fever preventive and control measures to avert further outbreak and spread, as well as efforts being made by the Ministry in collaboration with NCDC and other stakeholders in tackling the lassa fever scourge.

3.Gentlemen of the Press, Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria and often associated with poor sanitary hygiene practices with cases being recorded all year round. The Lassa fever virus is transmitted by rodents (rats) which can be found in our environment including homes, motor parks, offices and even places of worship . This contributes largely to the risk of spread that occurs in Nigeria and other countries with similar ecological factors.

4.Lassa Fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness. It is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodents (rat) urine or faeces. It can also be transmitted from person to person through contact with blood, urine, faeces and other body fluids of an infected person.

5.Early symptoms are fever, headache, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, sore throat etc. It is in very severe cases that the patient bleeds from body openings. The maturity period of lassa fever ranges from 6-21 days.

6.Before the recent outbreak, the Ministry has taken proactive measures to improve the overall general sanitation and hygiene situation in the country. The Ministry in 2019 established Sanitation Desks in all the 36 states of the country and these sanitation desk officers are to coordinate sanitation and related activities within their states, liaise with their respective Local Government Environment Departments and report back to the Federal Ministry of Environment. They are also expected to monitor and report lassa fever cases and other environmental determinants of diseases to the Federal Ministry of Environment headquarters. The Sanitation Desks are to be replicated in all 774 LGAs in the country.

7. In 2019 the Federal Ministry of Environment with the support of World Health Organisation (WHO) and in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) carried out environmental sanitation response activities to lassa fever outbreak in Edo and Ondo States. Activities undertaken include rodents’ control (deratization), sensitization/education of community members on lassa fever prevention/control measures, premises inspection, distribution of fumigation equipment and chemicals, waste bins and rodent traps.

8.Recently, officers of the Ministry and of the NCDC were on a phone-in program at Radio Nigeria on Saturday 25th January, 2020 to sensitize the public on the lassa fever outbreak as well as create awareness on preventive and control measures. However this sensitization will be a continuous exercise and will be taken down to the grassroots such as local communities, mosques, churches, markets, schools, motor parks, restaurants/hotels and to any place where there are likelihood of large gathering.

9.Gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, let me use this opportunity to inform you that the Ministry has directed all Environmental Health professionals in the Federal, State and Local Government to immediately re-embark on the following:
i. Massive Awareness Campaign on the need to keep the environment clean.
ii. Environmental Health Surveillance of Premises to identify rodents’ harbourage, destroy/eradicate rodents in homes, commercial and industrial premises
iii. Effective Pest and Vector Control services in residential and commercial premises – notably, Deratization of market places and homes.
iv. Development of Sanitary means and facilities for drying of food cereals, legumes and tubers to ward off their invasion by rodents

10.These strategies shall be deployed and the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria is to monitor compliance and report back to the Ministry.

11.The Ministry is putting in place Environmental Health and sanitation surveillance system. This surveillance system will strengthen the cooperation between the State and Federal Government on Environmental Health and Sanitation issues. It will also help in information/data gathering and sharing between the Federal, State and Local Governments.

12.The Ministry through Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) is also organizing capacity development programme on Entomology and Public Health Pest control to study more especially those rodents of Public Health importance in order to control them.

13. Meanwhile, citizens are advised to imbibe good sanitation and hygiene practices and take preventive and control measures that include:
• Keeping the environment clean to avoid contact with rodents;
• Keeping food away from rodents;
• Storing grains and other food stuff in rodent proof containers;
• Disposing wastes regularly and far away from home;
• Cooking all foods thoroughly;
• Blocking rat hide outs;
• Deratization;
• To avoid/stop eating rats as much as possible;
• Washing hands regularly with soap and running water;
• Using protective equipment e.g. masks, gloves, gowns etc. in healthcare centre and when caring for the sick.

14.Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, I want to use this opportunity to assure the general public that the Ministry remains committed to ensuring a clean and healthy environment for all Nigerians. I therefore call on all members of the public to keep their surroundings clean and be vigilant.

15. l also urge all media organisations as partners in progress, to join the Federal Ministry of Environment, NCDC and other stakeholders in fighting the scourge of lassa fever by informing, sensitizing and educating the public on preventive and control measures.
16. Thank you for your attention.

Dr Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar
Hounourable Minister of Environment
January 27, 2020

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

The Coming of Society For Global Health Nigeria

Society for Global Health Nigeria debut. The Aims and Objectives of the Society is to:

1. Bring preventive and curative healthcare to the door post;

2. Promote Health initiatives among health workers;

3. Propagate and promote global Health;

4. Promote environmental Sanitation and Hygiene among rural and urban communities as well as during emergencies arising from from man- made and natural dusasters;

5. Promote the prevention and control of emerging and re- emerging and neglected tropical diseases among communities;

6. Promote healthcare planning, management and administration through awareness creation and advocacy;

7. Promote capacity building among medical and health professionals;

8. Promote industrial peace and harmony in the health sector;

9. Coordinate and harness volunteers in global health care;

10. Promote medical and health care services in emergency and disaster situations;

11. Promote accountability in global health governance and financing;

12. Promote training and retraining of global healthcare workers in specialised areas in liason with appropriate institutions/ professional bodies;

13. Promote research and dissemination of research findings in global health care;

14. Promote participation in workshop s, symposium, seminars and conferences in global health; and

15. Promote adoption and integration of current medical and health technologies in global health.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Stakeholders calls for Integrated Training Of Primary Health Care Workers

Effective training of Primary Health Care Workers to deliver quality services to women and children is the key to solving the challenges facing Primary Health Care [PHC] centres in Nigeria, said by stakeholders.
Stakeholders in the health sector made the statement at the launch of Integrated Manual for Primary Health Care Workers, in Abuja.
Director, Community Heath Services, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Nneka Onwu said, with appropriate training, PHC workers can utilize the manual and offer effective treatment to a patient. She also stated that the manual will be implemented to its fullest so that the capacity building of the workers be at its best.
Iya Balogun, representing National Association for Nigerian Nurses and Midwives [NANNM], said the manual will improve the knowledge and skills in reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality rate in the country.
The manual is a combination of everything about the mother and child, communicable diseases, malaria, leprosy and HIV

Saturday, October 21, 2017

A letter by a group of unemployed environmental health graduates to Lagos State Speaker

A PASSIONATE APPEAL FOR THE INCLUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER CADRE APPLICANTS IN THE ON-GOING RECRUITMENT EXERCISE OF THE LAGOS STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE COMMISSION

Greetings to your highly esteemed office. We applaud your exemplary contributions in paddling the affairs of the state to birthing a new social order of monumental infrastructural development and economic growth, with resonated enhanced standard of living of Lagosians.

Following the job advert placement on print and electronic media by the Lagos State Local Government Service Commission which was slated for a period five days (25th – 29th September, 2017), we, the Environmental Health graduates made our application entries as directed by the commission.

Invitation of applicants for screening/recruitment by the Commission commenced last week through e-mail and SMS correspondence. While other cadres are being invited for screening/recruitment, the environmental health cadre applicants are being sidelined and in breach of the Local Government Schemes of Service 2006, Non-Environmental Health graduates including those with degrees in Anthropology, biotechnology, sociology, crop protection, etc are being invited for interview and placement as Environmental Health Officers while thousands of the real graduates of the profession who applied were not invited. Moreover, it is expedient to point out here that these Non-Environmental Health graduates lack in outright term the requisite competence and credentials to function statutorily and desirably as Environmental Health Officers.

We would like to reassure the state government of our willingness to gainfully contribute our quota in the enhancement of public service delivery, to the good people of Lagos state. It is also noteworthy that some of our members are not only Higher National Diploma (H.N.D) holders from recognized schools/colleges of health technology but graduates with additional qualifications such as bachelor and master's degrees with excellent grades, and have been serving the state government on a non-pensionable basis for almost a decade.

Additionally, we actively participated in the successful intervention programmes being organized by the state and federal governments in the epidemiological control of outbreaks of Lassa fever, Ebola Virus, Cholera and some other diseases. We are not in doubt that we would also be relevant in the arrest of this recent outbreak of monkeypox viral infection.

For the avoidance of doubt, an Environmental Health Officer is a qualified graduate from either the university or school/college of health technology and duly certified by the West Africa Health Examination Board (WAHEB) and Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON). Our job specifications are well spelt-out by the World Health Organization (WHO) which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

Finally, in the light of the above, we humbly request for your swift intervention on the delay in the job interview being experienced by our members, because we believe in your leadership, spirit of equality and goodwill for a sustained serene environmental health of the state.

Yours Faithfully,

_________________

BASHORUN N.O

Coordinator.

Cc: The Executive Governor of Lagos State,

State House,

Alausa – Ikeja,

Lagos State.

Honourable Segun Olulade,

Chairman, House Committee on Health,

Alausa – Ikeja,

Lagos State.

Hon. Saka Fafunmi

Chairman, House Committee on Environment.

Lagos State House of Assembly.

Hounorable Agunbiade Sunai (SOB),

Majority Leader,

Lagos State House of Assembly,

Alausas – Ikeja,

Lagos State.

Commissioner of Police,

Lagos State.

The President,

Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN),

Oshodi Isolo,

Lagos State.

The Chairman,

Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN),

Surulere,

Lagos State.

Chairman,

Lagos State Local Government Service Commission,

Old Secretariat,

P.W.D;

Lagos State.

Barr. Festus Keyamo (SAN),

1, Festus Keyamo Lane, off Gbagada Expressway,

Lagos State.

Barr. Femi Falana (SAN),

Old Secretariat Road,

G.R.A; Ikeja, Lagos.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,

(Governor Emeritus),

National Leader,

All Progressive Congress (APC)

Bourdilion Road,

Osborne, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Unemployed Environmental Health Graduate Visits Lagos Speaker

A group of unemployed environmental health graduates had visit and present their petitions to the Speaker, Lagos state house of assembly on their plight on the issue of ongoing recruitment by Lagos state local government service commission.The group is led by Nureni Bashorun whom stated that they have been working with local governments in Lagos for some years as casual staff with the hope that if vacancies exists, they will be absorbed, fortunately, the service commission placed an advert which includes environmental health officers, but those that applied were not call for interview while all other cadres were call, thus giving room of rumour and speculation that we would not be part of the recruitment.

"Why would they not invites us, having made the application open for everybody. They should create a level playing ground and allow everyone who is qualified to participate in the ongoing screening and interview", Nureni Bashorun said.

Responding, the speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, represented by Mr Segun Olulade, Chairman House committee on health said he will look in to the grievances of the group and do justice accordingly.

"We will contact your representatives and also call on other parties to explain the rationale behind it so that we can be on the same page....we will get back to you very soon", the speaker said.

Read the letter in full in the next post.

EHSAN organizes conference in Ibadan

Environmental health Scientists Association Of Nigeria [EHSAN]

The conference on Environmental Health Sciences is organized to increase awareness on, deepen knowledge for and stimulate action towards various primordial and emerging issues of environmental health for the purpose of ensuring environmental quality and safeguarding public health through evidence sharing from basic, applied and translational research.

The theme for the 2017 conference is ‘New Frontiers in Safety and Toxicology for Environmental health Management’. The conference will address salient and topical issues in the field of safety and toxicology particularly as it bothers on exposures to hazards and the vulnerability of the public to a myriad of deleterious health outcomes including cancers.

Delegates at conference are invited from amongst environmental scientist, researchers, public health professionals, safety professionals, policy makers, students and individuals from governmental/non-governmental and community-based organizations respectively.

Conference Objectives

· Buildings bridges among different scientists, professionals, practitioners, and other stakeholders in environment, safety and public health fields;

· Sharing of knowledge and skills during scientific and exhibitions sessions;

· Networking among delegates during technical sessions and social tours;

· Expanding new research horizon among scholars; and

· Fostering multi-centre and inter regional collaborations.

Conference Sub-themes/Speakers

Air toxics, Man and Cancer, Prof R. Vermeulen, Institute of Risk Assessment Sciences, [IRAS], Netherlands;

Nano Technology: Toxicological and Safety Concern, Prof A. Dhawan, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, India;

Children, School Environment and Safety, Prof Louise Stroud, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa;

Water Safety: Implications for Households and Eco Tourism, Prof MKC Sridhar, University of Ibadan, Nigeria;

Food Safety, Chemical Exposure and Toxicovigilance, Prof Eo Farombi, University of Ibadan, Nigeria;

Hazardous and Health Care Waste, Engr. Olabode Oladeji, Oiloff Nigeria Limited;

Soil Health and Biosafety, Prof Kehinde Olayinka, University of Lagos, Nigeria;

Industrial Hygiene and Safety, Dr A Amadi, HSE Manager, LNG Nigeria; and

Households-level Toxic: Safety and Health Issues, Dr G.R.E.E. Ana, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

The conference schedule to holds on 20-24^th November, 2017

Registration is N20, 000.00 for participants, N10, 000.00 for students and USD500 for foreign participants.

Payment can be made to:

Account Name: Environmental Health Scientists Association, Nigeria

Bank:

Access Bank Plc, UCH branch, Ibadan

Account Number: 0 7 2 7 6 8 3 2 6 7

Teller of payment should be scanned and sent to adejumo_mumuni@yahoo.com and oyinobisesan@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 11, 2017