ABBREVIATIONS/ ACRONYMS
AD Auto- disables (syringes)
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
BASICS Basic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival
BCC Behaviour Change Communication
CBO Community Based Organization
CMD Chief Medical Director
EPI Expanded Programme on Immunization
ESA External Support Agency
FCT Federal Capital Territory
FGD Focus Group Discussion
FMOH Federal Ministry of Health
GON Government of Nigeria
HBV Hepatitis B virus
HCV Hepatitis C virus
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
IS Injection Safety
JSI John Snow Incorporated
KAP Knowledge, Attitude and Programme
MD Medical Director
LGA Local Government Area
MMIS Making Medical Injection Safer
NACA National Action Committee AIDS
NASCP National AIDS and STI Control Programme
PEPEAR President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
SIGN Safe Injection Global Network
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
USAID United States Agency for International Development
WHO world Health Organization.
1.0 BACKGROUND
1.1. PREAMBLE
The national Policy on Injection Safety and Health Care waste Management sets out to ensure that patients, health workers, communities and the environment are protected from risks associated with unnecessary and unsafe injections, as well as improper treatment and disposal of injection materials and other health care waste. The policy document will achieve this objective by providing guiding principles for safe injection practices and proper management of all health care waste.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) standard for injection safety:
“Safe injection do not harm their recipients, do not expose the health care worker to any avoidable risk and do not result in waste that is dangerous to the community.”
The re-use of injection devices without proper sterilization, and exposure to contaminated sharps and waste increase the risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Nigeria does not have a policy that is particular to injection safety and health care waste management. What is on ground are policies such as the national immunization policy that has a chapter on injection safety with respect to immunization and a national policy on environmental and solid waste management master plan which touches on medical waste management.
Given these concerns, the Federal Ministry of Health through the National Injection Safety Forum conducted an assessment of injection practices and health care waste management practices in Nigeria. The with other government policy documents related to different aspects of injection safety and health care management were used to develop this policy.
1.2. SITUATION ANALYSIS
A national cross- sectional survey of injection safety practices in health facilities was conducted under the auspices of the National Injection Safety Forum between July and August 2004. The study indicated that most prominent factors contributing to unsafe injection practices include:
Over- prescription of injections
Limited availability of guidelines for health workers on injection safety practices including the care of needle stick injuries at all health care levels
Inadequate supply of injection materials leading to reuse of injection supplies without sterilization
Inadequate facilities for sterilization and
Lack of adequate facilities for collection and disposal of injection wastes
The survey showed that over 55.1% of the survey respondents received more than one injection per year with a 4.9 injection per person per year burden, putting Nigeria among the group of countries in the sub-Saharan region with a poor to moderate use of wrong and unsafe injections.
The majority (99%) of surveyed health facilities reported to having experienced a shortage of disposable injection supplies in the 12 month prior to the survey. This was an issue particularly in the curative sector. This might be a reflection of the current less- than optimal logistics system (e.g. forecasting and distribution mechanisms). Furthermore, improper management of health care waste was observed in an estimated 65% of health facilities, which had used sharps present around the building. Bad injection safety practices were common, such as leaving the needle on ampoules in between injections 49.2% for therapeutic and 25.9% for immunization injections.
The finding of this survey are consistent with the results of previous surveys, which showed that children under five year received more than 10 injection per year.1 Furthermore it was found that 10%, 66.7% of household had to bring syringes for injection use in Lagos and Kano States as well as the Federal Capital Territory respectively2. Other studies confirm that the practices of indiscriminate dumping, burning and buying are prevalent in a significant number of health facilities. Incineration facilities are limited and where available, the absence of an adequate health policy addressing the safe use of injections and proper waste disposal.
2.0 MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of this policy is to protect and or minimize the risks due to unsafe injection and health care waste management practices to the patients, health workers, consumers and the environment from hazardous healthcare waste disposal practices.
2.1 OVERALL GOAL
This policy aims at ensuring safe injection practices and proper management of health care waste. This goal will be achieved through the appropriate procurement, distribution, monitoring of equipment/ supplies, improve injection and health care waste management practices and increased awareness.
2.2 OVERALL OBJECTIVE
To provide an enabling environment to ensure injection safety practices and appropriate management of health care waste.
2.3 GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Behaviour of the patients, health workers and the community significantly affect injection and waste management practices.
Appropriate procurement, distribution and monitoring of injection equipment and related supplies such as safety boxes, auto disable syringes and needle cutters.
Minimal risks to patients, health workers, communities and the environment
Capacity building for safe use of injection materials and appropriate healthcare waste management as well as supervision and monitoring of health facilities at all levels of implementation to ensure behavioral change.
3.0 COMMUNICATION AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
3.1 policy issue:
There is irrational prescription of injections by health workers, partly caused by the demand from patients.
There is a significant amount of risk of blood borne disease transmission such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV due to the re-use of disposable injection materials, including sharing of injection materials, families.
There is indiscriminate dumping and disposal of health care waste in Health institutions, municipalities and communities.
3.2 Policy Objective:
To eliminate the practice of re-using disposable needles and syringes, including sharing among family members.
To provide guideline for health workers in both public and private sectors and communities for proper health care waste management disposal practice.
3.3 POLICY STRATEGIES:
Implement effective behavioral change approaches to injection safety, targeting both health workers and communities through effective advocacy, community mobilization, communication, and creating an enabling environment.
Training of health care workers in injection safety issues and appropriate waste disposal practices.
Educate and encourage patients to seek treatment only from qualified providers.
Support supervision of health care workers involved in administration of injections and the process of disposal and destruction of health care waste.
Use of behavioral trials to model effective behavior change approaches for clients and health workers; to discourage unnecessary injections, reduce re-use of injection materials, discourage sharing injection materials among family members, and safety dispose waste immediately and destroy it within the week.
4.0 HEALTH CARE WASTE MANAGEMENT
4.1 Policy Issue:
There is inadequate health care waste management system for health care facilities and the communities.
4.2 Policy Objectives:
To provide guidelines for injection and other health care waste management practices to all health facilities.
To ensure that all health facilities have easy access to appropriate disposal facilities for used injections and other health care waste.
To establish and ensure that proper injection and other health care waste management practice are observed at all health facilities and in the community.
To mobilize the community on appropriate health care waste management.
4.3 POLICY STRATEGIES:
Establish and implement a system for ensuring that injections and other health care waste are properly managed by persons and facilities generating them both in the health sector and in the communities.
Develop and disseminate guidelines for injection and other health care waste management
Construction and installation of injection and other health care waste disposal destruction facilities
Safe collection and transportation of sharps, other injection materials and their disposal using incinerators or other environmentally approved means.
4.4 Targets
In order to ensure measurable benchmarks, monitor and evaluate the progress and implementation of this policy over time, the following targets to guide programme planning and implementation are set.
The federal Ministry of health shall ensure the enactment of relevant legislations required for effective healthcare waste management policy implementation by 2008;
By the end of 2008, every healthcare facility shall put in an infection control and waste management committee to include head of the hospital or his representation, the heads of departments in the hospital, the registered Environment Health Officer in charge of waste management in the hospital, etc.
By the end of 2008, every Teaching Hospital, Specialist hospital and Federal Medical Centers and other similar health care facilities with more than 200 beds shall provide within their premises a modern incinerator which complies with World Health Organization standard on air pollution emission, capable of on-site destruction of all contaminated waste water are treated prior to disposal outside the facility.
By the end of 2010, every Teaching Hospital, Specialist Hospital and Federal Medical Centres and other health care facilities with more than 200 beds shall provide within their premises a modern waste water treatment plant to ensure that all contaminated waste water are treated prior to disposal outside the facility.
By the end of 2010, every other health care facility provider shall have a subsisting contract with a registered healthcare waste or sewage collector who also has a disposal contract with a disposal facility for the collection and final disposal of health care waste from such facilities.
4.5. Institutional Framework, Roles and Responsibilities
4.5.1 Federal Ministry of Health shall:
In collaboration with other line Ministries, ensure the implementation of this policy.
Formulate, review and produce the National Policy on injection safety and Healthcare Waste Management;
Enact, review and harmonize existing Legislation on injection safety and healthcare waste management;
Develop and ensure the implementation of the National Action Plan on injection safety and healthcare waste management;
Collaborate with the Academic, Research Institutions, other relevant Ministries, Agencies, ESAs, NGOs and the private sector on injection safety and healthcare waste management;
Embark on capacity building and human resource development for managing injection safety and healthcare waste management;
Mobilize resources both internally and externally for healthcare waste management
4.5.2. State: (Ministry of Health)
Provide technical assistance and logistic support to LGA on the implementation of the National Policy on Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management;
Encourage and support private sector participation in the implementation of the National Policy on injection Safety and healthcare Waste Management through legislation and provision of financial instrument;
4.5.3. LGA shall:
Enact and enforce appropriate legislation on injection safety and healthcare waste management;
Recruit or grant franchise within their area of jurisdiction to licensed Environmental Health Officers for effective inspection and enforcement of healthcare waste management plans;
4.5.4 HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
All healthcare facilities shall:
Ensure segregation of wastes at every point of generation within the healthcare facility using the appropriate primary collection equipment with appropriate color coding.
By 2008, provide a budget line with sufficient funds and appropriate manpower, dedicated to healthcare waste management in their facility.
Provide facilities for the safe disposal of all hazardous healthcare waste produced from such facilities.
With higher installed capacity for onside disposal of healthcare waste than they presently required, shall provide such excess capacity to other healthcare facilities in the area for the disposal of their own wastes at the reasonable cost,
4.5.5 Civil Society Organizations (NGOs/ CBOs) shall:
Support the implementation on National Policy on injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management ;
Mobilize communities through awareness campaigns about National Policy on Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste management;
Provide support in the development of IEC materials on National Policy on Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management ;
Develop community programmes that will support implementation of National Policy on Injection and Healthcare Waste Management ;
Educate communities on the National Policy on Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management ;
4.5.6 Organized Private Sector Shall:
Support the implementation on National Policy on Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management ;
Participate in the provision of Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management ;
Support research in Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management;
4.5.7 Professional Regulatory Bodies and Academia shall;
Revise training curricula to reflect training gap on injection safety and healthcare waste management issues;
Conduct training and manpower development of their members on injection safety and healthcare waste management;
Collaborate with Federal Ministry of Health in propagating information on injection safety and healthcare waste management research findings amongst their professional.
4.6 Funding Mechanisms
Investing in injection safety and healthcare waste management is expected to benefit not only the health system but equally promote employment and improve good quality of life. In order to attain the lofty goal of National Policy on injection safety and healthcare waste management, substantial financial and logistic resources are required. It is therefore, important that funding for this policy must be well thought out and sustainable to ensure that adequate funds required to sustain this policy in the long run are provided.
The government shall:
Create a conducive environment for private sector participation;
Increase private sector participation in healthcare waste management with reduced Government involvement through provision of loan facilities to registered healthcare waste management companies;
Liaison with the Ministry of finance and other government financial institution to ensure that adequate funds are provided to registered healthcare waste management companies to assist in procurement of equipment and buildup infrastructure required for the effective implementation of the policy.
The ultimate objective of the aim of the National policy on injection safety and healthcare waste management is to obtain self-sustaining facilities and services at all healthcare facilities. In order for the realization of the objectives of this policy, adequate emphasis shall be on sustainable fund generating mechanism. In this regard, financial and other resources for implementing the National policy on injection safety and healthcare waste management shall be obtained from :
All tiers of Government through yearly budgetary allocations for infrastructural provision in their healthcare facilities;
Funding from entrepreneurial/small-scale industries funds of the bankers committee.
External Support Agencies;
Organized private sectors;
User charges;
Capital market;
Philanthropic Organizations;
Fines and levies.
5.0 LOGISTICS
5.1 Policy Issues:
Logistics functions, among which are forecasting, selection, and distribution are inadequately addressed or given inadequate attention, which leads to shortages and stock-outs.
5.2 Policy Objectives:
To ensure an adequate and continuous supply of injection equipments consumables and other medical supplies by establishing and maintaining a secure, cost-effective logistic system
To ensure proper product selection (auto- disable syringes for preventive services)
To ensure that matching quantities of syringes and needles are ordered with drug and vaccine supplies
To ensure safe, efficient and effective disposal of a healthcare waste using incinerators or other approved identified means.
5.3 policy Strategies:
Appropriate, adequate and safe product selection
Establishment and maintenance of a secure, cost effective injection logistics system to ensure adequate supply of all necessary injection safety medical supplies and consumable.
Strengthening and maintaining an efficient and effective logistics management information system.
Provision of appropriate logistics for safe collection, segregation, storage and transportation equipments for sharps, injection materials and other healthcare waste.
6.0 MANAGEMENT: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
6.1 Policy Issue:
There are insufficient numbers of trained health workers; this situation is compounded by inadequate information to those in practice on the subject of safe injection practices and health care waste management
Health workers face increased risk of hepatitis infection, as most are not fully immunized against the virus.
Health workers do not have post HIV exposure prophylaxis in the event of accidental needle stick injuries.
6.2 POLICY OBJECTIVES:
To review existing academic curricula of health training institutions, and incorporate harmonized injection safety and waste management issues into health worker pre-service training.
To re-orient health care workers on harmonized injection safety and health care waste management guidelines.
To ensure that adequate numbers of health workers are trained in providing injections and appropriately deployed to injection stations.
To ensure that this aspect of the policy is incorporated in the professional continuing Education Development Progamme.
To ensure that all student nurses are fully immunized against hepatitis virus.
To ensure healthcare facilities, both public and private, have adequate supplies of post HIV exposure prophylaxis of injection safety.
6.3 Policy Strategies:
This norms and standard are meant for those to be trained in the provision of injections and management of healthcare wastes at all health system levels for appropriate promotion of injection safety.
Harmonize guidelines on infection control, injection waste management and other injection safety issues following the set norms and standards.
Harmonize guidelines for immunization to include hepatitis prevention coverage in schools of nursing.
Incorporate safety issues into pre-service training curricula of health workers.
Incorporate safety issues into in –service training curricula for health workers at all levels.
Re- orient practicing health workers at all relevant levels in injection safety and health care waste management through in-service training and supervision
Train adequate numbers of health workers and deploy them appropriately at all levels of the health system including both pubic and private sectors for the provision of safe injections all health care facilities.
7.0 MONITORING AND EVALUATION
7.1 Policy Issue:
There is lack of adequate monitoring and evaluation, both in the pubic and private sectors regarding injection safety and health care waste management. Mechanisms to improve and ensure safe injection practices are limited the non-availability of appropriate data for decision- making on programmatic issues.
7.2 Policy Objective
To ensure the development, implementation and administration of mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation encompassing both the public and private health care facilities.
To use the monitoring and evaluation date for decision making for appropriate programmatic changes in order to improve service delivery, injection safety and health care waste management. These data based changes are also needed to ensure the safety of health workers and patients.
To ensure the enforcement and establishment of participatory monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. These are to encompass both the public and private health care facilities.
To establish and ensure a reliable system for detection, investigation and management of adverse events following injections.
8.0 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
This policy will be implemented within the National Health Policy framework. In this context, the Ministry of Health will be responsible for: its dissemination, resource mobilization, coordination, supervision of implementation activities as well as monitoring and evaluation. This policy will strengthen collaboration between involved institutions and stakeholders in ensuring adherence to injection safety practices, with the Department of Public Health serving as the central coordinating unit. At the Local government level, the Primary Health department shall be responsible for ensuring implementation in the primary health care facilities.
The National Curriculum Development Committee of the Ministry of Education, in collaborating with the Ministry of Health and all relevant academic institutions, shall ensure that injection safety is included in the training curricula of health workers.
All professional and- professional health- related organizations, including practitioners in the private sector shall be responsible for ensuring that their members comply with this policy.
9.0 REGULATION
The relevant Drug Regulatory Bodies (National Agency for food and Drug Administration and control, (NAFADC) and Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, (PCN) shall ensure that health commodities and their waste management comply with national regulations and standard and also ensure compliance at all levels.
The Ministry of Environment at all levels will be responsible for advisory matters related to environmental control standards associated with the management of injection and other health care waste.
10.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The Ministry of Health, Development Partners, Bilateral Agencies and NGOs will finance the implementation of this policy.
The Ministry of Health and its services, as well as its development partners, including public, private and NGO sectors shall include injection safety and injection waste strategies in their budgets. These budgets should include adequate costs to support the implementation of this policy in the following areas:
Communication and behavior change
Waste management, including waste destruction units appropriate for each level
Logistics, including transport costs
Human Resource Development, and
Monitoring and Evaluation
Safe collection and transportation of sharps and other injection materials and disposal of same using incinerators or other environmentally acceptable means.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The management of injection waste shall be consistent with environmental control standards, with efforts specifically made to minimize the contamination of underground water sources and the emission of organic pollutants such as Dioxin and Furan.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
National Policy on Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste management 2007
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
National Health Bill: Health workers urge Jonathan to withhold assent
By BIMBOLA OYESOLA
Workers in the health sector have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for not assenting to the National Health Bill as presented to him in May . They appealed that the bill be sent back to the National Assembly for the required review of sections that would make it holistic in projecting the needs and aspirations of all members of the health team and the common Nigerians.
The workers, under the aegis of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) applauded President Jonathan’s government for his sensitivity to the voice of Nigerians on key policy issues, especially as packaged in your transformation agenda.
“This you aptly demonstrated graciously, by not assenting to the National Health Bill, as presented to you in May 2011, after health professionals and other workers peacefully expressed their angst at some draconian provisions in the bill,” the workers stated.
According to the letters addressed to President Jonathan and jointly signed by the National President of the Union, Mr Ayuba Wabba and Secretary General, Mr Marcus Omokhuale, drew attention of the President to the slips made by previous health minister in the draft of the bill now considered as the Medical Health Bill.
They noted that Dr. Eyitayo Lambo, the former minister of Health anchored the policy-formulation process that arrived at what had become the first draft of the bill, while the sector had equally been consistently dominated by the medical doctors, since 1985 when the late Prof. Olikoye Ransome-kuti, through the obnoxious decree No. 10 of 1985 placed a ceiling on the career prospects of other health professionals and ended their ascensions to directorate positions in the health care sector.
“The services have continued to witness a falling standard. The National Health Bill is therefore expected to address this prevailing non-performance syndrome in the healthcare delivery system and make it effective, efficient and thereby improve the pitiful health indices of the nation.
“The debilitating situation of poor performance rates, high rates of restiveness and the collapsing of health care delivery in the country notwithstanding, the National Health Bill, as it is presently might be recreating a scenario likely to deepen the crisis in the sector that would further give the Nigeria healthcare service poor rating all over the world,” the Workers warned.
The following sections are particularly contradictory to existing statutory laws in the country and against your government’s transformation agenda and the spirit of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG).
The Union expressed that Section I, sub-section (i), which stated thus: “There is hereby established for the Federation, the National Health system, which shall define and provide a frame work for standards and regulation of health services was against the Millennium Development Goal (MDG)’s transformation agenda of the president.
The Workers insisted that the Health Sector is made up of multi-professional groups having statutory regulatory bodies (councils and boards) charged with specific responsibilities of defining and providing regulatory standards for the professional practice of each of the groups.
The Workers explained that their input on the bill to the Senate Committee on Health made this clear that the section is contradictory and attempts to usurp the powers already given to similarly existing bodies such as Environmental Health Officers’ Registration Council, Community Health Practitioner Council of Nigeria and Radiographers Registration Council of Nigeria, stressing that such in itself has put the bill on a nullity.
In their view: “We therefore wish that the National Health Act should provide a level playing field to allow health professionals practice their professions as provided by their different regulatory bodies without any inhibition”.
The Union also frowned at a section in the bill that stated that, “The commission shall consist of Executive Chairman, who shall be a Medical Doctor.”
“This is obviously derogatory and discriminatory, when a law makes position exclusive for a class of people in a system that has multi-professional groups. This is ultra-vires and against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The commission in itself as structured is administrative and by arrogating the headship of various administrative positions in the health sector exclusively to the Medical Doctors, further leaves one in doubt about the sincerity of the bill itself. Even Dr Eyitayo Lambo in an interview on the NTA network admitted that the bill has lost more than 25% of its original context”, the MHWUN representatives insisted.
Citing instances of United States, United Kingdom, Japan and India where the Health sector leaderships belongs to other vocation, they harped that the NMA’s influence on the Bill is not in conformity to the international best practice but sheer self-serving action that is against the transformation policy of the country.
The Union therefore charged the President to withhold his Assent to the Bill, in the nation’s interest, stating that the union said the bill was not only obnoxious, but self serving, made to perpetuate the interests of medical doctors who are already in control of all the Professional Councils, Tertiary health Institutions and the Ministry without much positive result.
It also called on the President to address the continued marginalization of other professionals in the health sector, even as it maintained that MHWUN organizes not less than 17 Health Professionals and not less than 60% of the entire workforce in the health sector.
“With the foregoing, we call on your Excellency, to use your distinguished office to ensure that justice is done within the context of decision-making structures and processes in the health sector, as should be captured in a National Health Act that will promote teamwork and industrial harmony necessary for an effective healthcare delivery system,” the MHWUN stressed.
Workers in the health sector have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for not assenting to the National Health Bill as presented to him in May . They appealed that the bill be sent back to the National Assembly for the required review of sections that would make it holistic in projecting the needs and aspirations of all members of the health team and the common Nigerians.
The workers, under the aegis of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) applauded President Jonathan’s government for his sensitivity to the voice of Nigerians on key policy issues, especially as packaged in your transformation agenda.
“This you aptly demonstrated graciously, by not assenting to the National Health Bill, as presented to you in May 2011, after health professionals and other workers peacefully expressed their angst at some draconian provisions in the bill,” the workers stated.
According to the letters addressed to President Jonathan and jointly signed by the National President of the Union, Mr Ayuba Wabba and Secretary General, Mr Marcus Omokhuale, drew attention of the President to the slips made by previous health minister in the draft of the bill now considered as the Medical Health Bill.
They noted that Dr. Eyitayo Lambo, the former minister of Health anchored the policy-formulation process that arrived at what had become the first draft of the bill, while the sector had equally been consistently dominated by the medical doctors, since 1985 when the late Prof. Olikoye Ransome-kuti, through the obnoxious decree No. 10 of 1985 placed a ceiling on the career prospects of other health professionals and ended their ascensions to directorate positions in the health care sector.
“The services have continued to witness a falling standard. The National Health Bill is therefore expected to address this prevailing non-performance syndrome in the healthcare delivery system and make it effective, efficient and thereby improve the pitiful health indices of the nation.
“The debilitating situation of poor performance rates, high rates of restiveness and the collapsing of health care delivery in the country notwithstanding, the National Health Bill, as it is presently might be recreating a scenario likely to deepen the crisis in the sector that would further give the Nigeria healthcare service poor rating all over the world,” the Workers warned.
The following sections are particularly contradictory to existing statutory laws in the country and against your government’s transformation agenda and the spirit of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG).
The Union expressed that Section I, sub-section (i), which stated thus: “There is hereby established for the Federation, the National Health system, which shall define and provide a frame work for standards and regulation of health services was against the Millennium Development Goal (MDG)’s transformation agenda of the president.
The Workers insisted that the Health Sector is made up of multi-professional groups having statutory regulatory bodies (councils and boards) charged with specific responsibilities of defining and providing regulatory standards for the professional practice of each of the groups.
The Workers explained that their input on the bill to the Senate Committee on Health made this clear that the section is contradictory and attempts to usurp the powers already given to similarly existing bodies such as Environmental Health Officers’ Registration Council, Community Health Practitioner Council of Nigeria and Radiographers Registration Council of Nigeria, stressing that such in itself has put the bill on a nullity.
In their view: “We therefore wish that the National Health Act should provide a level playing field to allow health professionals practice their professions as provided by their different regulatory bodies without any inhibition”.
The Union also frowned at a section in the bill that stated that, “The commission shall consist of Executive Chairman, who shall be a Medical Doctor.”
“This is obviously derogatory and discriminatory, when a law makes position exclusive for a class of people in a system that has multi-professional groups. This is ultra-vires and against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The commission in itself as structured is administrative and by arrogating the headship of various administrative positions in the health sector exclusively to the Medical Doctors, further leaves one in doubt about the sincerity of the bill itself. Even Dr Eyitayo Lambo in an interview on the NTA network admitted that the bill has lost more than 25% of its original context”, the MHWUN representatives insisted.
Citing instances of United States, United Kingdom, Japan and India where the Health sector leaderships belongs to other vocation, they harped that the NMA’s influence on the Bill is not in conformity to the international best practice but sheer self-serving action that is against the transformation policy of the country.
The Union therefore charged the President to withhold his Assent to the Bill, in the nation’s interest, stating that the union said the bill was not only obnoxious, but self serving, made to perpetuate the interests of medical doctors who are already in control of all the Professional Councils, Tertiary health Institutions and the Ministry without much positive result.
It also called on the President to address the continued marginalization of other professionals in the health sector, even as it maintained that MHWUN organizes not less than 17 Health Professionals and not less than 60% of the entire workforce in the health sector.
“With the foregoing, we call on your Excellency, to use your distinguished office to ensure that justice is done within the context of decision-making structures and processes in the health sector, as should be captured in a National Health Act that will promote teamwork and industrial harmony necessary for an effective healthcare delivery system,” the MHWUN stressed.
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Monday, October 3, 2011
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE DAY SENSITIZATION WORKSHOP ON FOOD HYGIENE AND SAFETY FOR POLICY MAKERS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS HELS AT SHEHU MUSA YAR’ADUA CENTRE, MAITAMA, ABUJA ON THURSDAY, 8TH SEPTEMBER, 2011
1.0 We, the participants of Sensitization workshop on Food Hygiene and Safety for Policy makers and Environmental health practitioners from the 36 states and FCT of Nigeria representing Federal and State Ministries of Environment, Health, Agriculture, Water Resources, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Standards Organization of Nigeria, Consumer Protection Council, Armed Forces, Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, Local Government Services Commission, Local Government Areas [LGAs], Professional bodies [Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology], Non-governmental Organizations, Water aid and the Mass Media, met in Abuja at the above workshop to discuss issue relating to Food Hygiene and Safety in the Country and resolve as follows:
1.1 We recognize the role of food as a necessity to man’s existence but equally recognize its potential of being a vehicle of transmission of diseases many of which are communicable.
1.2 We recognizes that, against the tide of economic challenges and weak political will, the importance of food safety is not well appreciated, hence the need for this sensitization workshop for the policy makers.
1.3 we are concerned about the poor coordination of Food Hygiene and Safety issues, which is undermining the efforts of the country towards improving public health and generating wealth through food exports in support of the transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.
1.4 We are equally concerned about weak coordination of Food Hygiene and Safety at the Federal, State and local Government levels. Of special note is the non-implementation of the National Policy Guidelines on Food Sanitation.
1.5 We are also concerned that Nigeria may not be able to achieve goals 1, 4 and 6 of the Millennium Developments Goals which aim at eradication of extreme hunger and poverty, Reducing child mortality and combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases [including food borne] by 2015.
1.6 We are concerned about non availability of funding for Food Hygiene and Safety from Government at all levels.
1.7 We also identified the plethora of food laws, with the attendant multiplicity and difficulty in their implementation, owing to deficiencies of their provisions in addressing the present day food hygiene and safety challenges.
1.8 We are worried that there is lack of equipment and materials needed for the smooth running of food Hygiene and Safety services in Nigeria.
1.9 We are equally bothered about the poor state of Food establishments [Abattoirs, Slaughter slabs and meat shops and stalls, Restaurants, Fast food joints and food canteens, street vended food outlets, hotels, bakeries, cold stores and Suya spots, beer and pepper soup joints etc.
1.10 We are equally concerned that failures of policies developed are due to non-involvement of relevant stakeholders in their formulation who are crucial for their implementation at the grassroots level.
2.0 We now call on Government at all levels to ensure effective implementation of Food Hygiene and Safety program in the country with particular attention to:
2.1 Review all relevant laws with adequate provision for food Hygiene and Safety.
2.2 Set in motion necessary machinery for the implementation of National Policy Guidelines on Food Hygiene and Safety in Nigeria
2.3 Put in place modalities for multi-sectoral collaboration for effective management of food Hygiene and Safety.
2.4 Adopt effective and sustainable initiatives focusing on participatory approaches to Food Hygiene and Safety issues.
2.5 Increase financial investments in food Hygiene and Safety to scale up service delivery.
2.6 Urges States and LGAs to recognizes Food Hygiene and Safety as a right of citizens, hence all effort to stimulate it functioning must be supported, including where necessary the provision of effective bye-laws to suit local needs.
2.7 Urge Federal, States and LGAs to employ relevant skilled manpower for Food Hygiene and Safety especially Environmental Health Officers [EHOs] and Food Scientist to enhance implementation of food Hygiene and Safety in the country.
2.8 Urge Governments at all levels to strengthen sanitary inspection of premises as a means of improving Food hygiene and Safety services.
2.9 Urge MDAs to make adequate budgetary allocation and timely release of funds for coordinating sanitation and hygiene activities at all levels.
2.10 Request Government at all levels to accord priority to capacity building programs for EHOs and other stakeholders [institutional training; seminars and workshop etc] as a means of improving food hygiene Safety services.
2.11 Request Government at all levels to imbibe the use of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points [HACCP].
2.12 Call on relevant Government authorities to develop HACCP plans for our local foods such as Amala, Kosai, Akpu, Tuwo, Masa, etc.
2.13 Implore Government at all levels to identify Research and Development as a necessary tool for the development of food hygiene and safety services. In the same vein, results of in individual research works should be consolidated with a view to arriving at tangible national decisions.
2.14 Advocate for the establishment of National Health Management Information System, with food hygiene and safety as one of the elements for effective data management to aid Nigeria’s effort at controlling communicable diseases.
2.15 Accord adequate support to public awareness through community engagement and use of the mass media and other relevant organizations to make the general public appreciate the potential of food and food products to spread diseases.
2.16 Re-establish and equip Public/Environmental Health Laboratories in all the states of the federation to ensure prompt analysis of food samples.
2.17 Encourages Inter Governmental agency collaboration in Food Hygiene and Safety for the ultimate goal of ensuring effective service delivery and control
2.18 Initiate action to harmonize all laws relating to food hygiene and safety in the country with a view to maximizing their benefits.
2.19 Provide sufficient support infrastructure such as vehicles, field test kits and other logistics to enhance food hygiene and safety surveillance.
3.0 The participants appreciate the untiring efforts of Federal Ministries of Environment and Health represented by EHORECON and NAFDAC, the organizers of this workshop at curbing the menace of food-borne diseases to public health in the country.
4.0 Further, and in the spirit of partnership, we call on all actors across the country, from civil society, development partners, the mass media and the private sector organizations, to support government’s effort in implementing the recommendations of this workshop which is aimed at addressing the food hygiene and safety challenges in Nigeria with the urgency and consideration it deserves.
Signed for and on behalf of Participants by the Communiqué group:
Isah Adamu EHORECON
Mrs V. N. Ezeh NAFDAC
Phram [Mrs] M. O. Akeju Consumer Protection Council
Mrs M. B. Kehinde Standars Organization of Nigeria
Mr. J. Funsho Tehinse NIFST
Mr. M. A. Adenikan [Lagos state] States and FCT
1.1 We recognize the role of food as a necessity to man’s existence but equally recognize its potential of being a vehicle of transmission of diseases many of which are communicable.
1.2 We recognizes that, against the tide of economic challenges and weak political will, the importance of food safety is not well appreciated, hence the need for this sensitization workshop for the policy makers.
1.3 we are concerned about the poor coordination of Food Hygiene and Safety issues, which is undermining the efforts of the country towards improving public health and generating wealth through food exports in support of the transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.
1.4 We are equally concerned about weak coordination of Food Hygiene and Safety at the Federal, State and local Government levels. Of special note is the non-implementation of the National Policy Guidelines on Food Sanitation.
1.5 We are also concerned that Nigeria may not be able to achieve goals 1, 4 and 6 of the Millennium Developments Goals which aim at eradication of extreme hunger and poverty, Reducing child mortality and combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases [including food borne] by 2015.
1.6 We are concerned about non availability of funding for Food Hygiene and Safety from Government at all levels.
1.7 We also identified the plethora of food laws, with the attendant multiplicity and difficulty in their implementation, owing to deficiencies of their provisions in addressing the present day food hygiene and safety challenges.
1.8 We are worried that there is lack of equipment and materials needed for the smooth running of food Hygiene and Safety services in Nigeria.
1.9 We are equally bothered about the poor state of Food establishments [Abattoirs, Slaughter slabs and meat shops and stalls, Restaurants, Fast food joints and food canteens, street vended food outlets, hotels, bakeries, cold stores and Suya spots, beer and pepper soup joints etc.
1.10 We are equally concerned that failures of policies developed are due to non-involvement of relevant stakeholders in their formulation who are crucial for their implementation at the grassroots level.
2.0 We now call on Government at all levels to ensure effective implementation of Food Hygiene and Safety program in the country with particular attention to:
2.1 Review all relevant laws with adequate provision for food Hygiene and Safety.
2.2 Set in motion necessary machinery for the implementation of National Policy Guidelines on Food Hygiene and Safety in Nigeria
2.3 Put in place modalities for multi-sectoral collaboration for effective management of food Hygiene and Safety.
2.4 Adopt effective and sustainable initiatives focusing on participatory approaches to Food Hygiene and Safety issues.
2.5 Increase financial investments in food Hygiene and Safety to scale up service delivery.
2.6 Urges States and LGAs to recognizes Food Hygiene and Safety as a right of citizens, hence all effort to stimulate it functioning must be supported, including where necessary the provision of effective bye-laws to suit local needs.
2.7 Urge Federal, States and LGAs to employ relevant skilled manpower for Food Hygiene and Safety especially Environmental Health Officers [EHOs] and Food Scientist to enhance implementation of food Hygiene and Safety in the country.
2.8 Urge Governments at all levels to strengthen sanitary inspection of premises as a means of improving Food hygiene and Safety services.
2.9 Urge MDAs to make adequate budgetary allocation and timely release of funds for coordinating sanitation and hygiene activities at all levels.
2.10 Request Government at all levels to accord priority to capacity building programs for EHOs and other stakeholders [institutional training; seminars and workshop etc] as a means of improving food hygiene Safety services.
2.11 Request Government at all levels to imbibe the use of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points [HACCP].
2.12 Call on relevant Government authorities to develop HACCP plans for our local foods such as Amala, Kosai, Akpu, Tuwo, Masa, etc.
2.13 Implore Government at all levels to identify Research and Development as a necessary tool for the development of food hygiene and safety services. In the same vein, results of in individual research works should be consolidated with a view to arriving at tangible national decisions.
2.14 Advocate for the establishment of National Health Management Information System, with food hygiene and safety as one of the elements for effective data management to aid Nigeria’s effort at controlling communicable diseases.
2.15 Accord adequate support to public awareness through community engagement and use of the mass media and other relevant organizations to make the general public appreciate the potential of food and food products to spread diseases.
2.16 Re-establish and equip Public/Environmental Health Laboratories in all the states of the federation to ensure prompt analysis of food samples.
2.17 Encourages Inter Governmental agency collaboration in Food Hygiene and Safety for the ultimate goal of ensuring effective service delivery and control
2.18 Initiate action to harmonize all laws relating to food hygiene and safety in the country with a view to maximizing their benefits.
2.19 Provide sufficient support infrastructure such as vehicles, field test kits and other logistics to enhance food hygiene and safety surveillance.
3.0 The participants appreciate the untiring efforts of Federal Ministries of Environment and Health represented by EHORECON and NAFDAC, the organizers of this workshop at curbing the menace of food-borne diseases to public health in the country.
4.0 Further, and in the spirit of partnership, we call on all actors across the country, from civil society, development partners, the mass media and the private sector organizations, to support government’s effort in implementing the recommendations of this workshop which is aimed at addressing the food hygiene and safety challenges in Nigeria with the urgency and consideration it deserves.
Signed for and on behalf of Participants by the Communiqué group:
Isah Adamu EHORECON
Mrs V. N. Ezeh NAFDAC
Phram [Mrs] M. O. Akeju Consumer Protection Council
Mrs M. B. Kehinde Standars Organization of Nigeria
Mr. J. Funsho Tehinse NIFST
Mr. M. A. Adenikan [Lagos state] States and FCT
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The relevance of EHO in Hajj medical team
By Sani Garba Mohammed
Environmental health is the control, in totality, of all factors in man’s physical environment which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical development, health and survival. It plays a vital role in control of communicable diseases, potable water supply, food sanitation and personal hygiene. It is multi-sectoral, meaning it has to do with every aspect of man-environment relationship.
For many years, Nigeria has had medical team [comprising only doctors, nurses, and pharmacist] in hajj operations, who take care of the medical needs of the pilgrims. However, their involvement was not formalized untill recently.
The relevance of EHO starts from the training of intending pilgrims at local and state levels, hajj camps, airports on how to observe personal cleanliness, how to clean their environment, healthy eating, proper utilization of sanitary conveniences and facilities, how to prevent common illnesses due to change of environment, also how to prevent motion sickness, and many others.
Environmental Health officers [EHO] are preventive health officers in the field of healthcare development and promotion, prevention and control of diseases; as such, their relevance cannot be overemphasized while in the holy land. Here are few of their roles;
Many pilgrims are new to the holy land, and coming mostly from villages, their knowledge ofpersonal hygiene and how to disposed off waste products to the appropriate place is small; many pilgrims are ignorance of the basic principle of environmental sanitation, they behave anyway they like in littering the environment, hence, they need proper education by registered and license EHO, to sensitize and guide them on how not to abuse environment in the holy land.
Food sanitation: food is one of the basic and indispensable necessities of life, ranking equal in importance with only air and water. Even though Saudi government and some states governments do provide food to pilgrims, yet Nigerians like to patronize the food prepared by Nigerians in the Diaspora better known as ‘takari’ which, according to them, is more tasty and delicious. In this case, EHO would go round the various spots and tents where these foods are prepared to educate the food handlers on the guidelines and procedure they will adhere to from the stage of preparation to the point of sale to the pilgrims, in such a way the food be free from obvious and visible dirt, and from gross microbial, chemical or biological contaminants.
These ‘takari’ are in the habit of getting stale food due for disposal, re-heat it, package it, and offer it for sale to unsuspecting pilgrims, which is contaminated, and therefore unfit for human consumption. EHO, must be vigilant, active and a barrier between ‘Takari’, and the pilgrims, to make sure food offer for sale to the latter is wholesome.
Public health inspection: house to house inspection of pilgrims to sensitize and educate them on cleanliness of their rooms, sanitary conveniences, and proper & appropriate utilization of sanitary facilities provided, to ensure clean and free offensive odour environment.
Diseases control: majority of the disease affecting the pilgrims are preventable, for instance, diarrhea, food poisoning, some allergies, dysentery, etc., are associated with either change in dietary habit, poor personal hygiene, or non-adherence to precautions, and environmental influence. So, regular inspection and educating the pilgrims on how to protect their health, will address 70% of health needs of Nigerian pilgrims.
These and many more are are the good things the EHOs can do.
Based on these, the federal government must make sure only registered and licensed EHOs, adequate in number, are given the chance to participate in rendering their services in the holy land as part of hajj medical teams. States government must be made to be include registered EHO in their medical team, so that their impact can be seen, as doctors, pharmacist and nurses have fewer roles to play than EHO in educating the pilgrims on the do’s and don’ts of prevention, which is better than cure, the are ubiquitous length, not staying in clinics to do their work.
Environmental health is the control, in totality, of all factors in man’s physical environment which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical development, health and survival. It plays a vital role in control of communicable diseases, potable water supply, food sanitation and personal hygiene. It is multi-sectoral, meaning it has to do with every aspect of man-environment relationship.
For many years, Nigeria has had medical team [comprising only doctors, nurses, and pharmacist] in hajj operations, who take care of the medical needs of the pilgrims. However, their involvement was not formalized untill recently.
The relevance of EHO starts from the training of intending pilgrims at local and state levels, hajj camps, airports on how to observe personal cleanliness, how to clean their environment, healthy eating, proper utilization of sanitary conveniences and facilities, how to prevent common illnesses due to change of environment, also how to prevent motion sickness, and many others.
Environmental Health officers [EHO] are preventive health officers in the field of healthcare development and promotion, prevention and control of diseases; as such, their relevance cannot be overemphasized while in the holy land. Here are few of their roles;
Many pilgrims are new to the holy land, and coming mostly from villages, their knowledge ofpersonal hygiene and how to disposed off waste products to the appropriate place is small; many pilgrims are ignorance of the basic principle of environmental sanitation, they behave anyway they like in littering the environment, hence, they need proper education by registered and license EHO, to sensitize and guide them on how not to abuse environment in the holy land.
Food sanitation: food is one of the basic and indispensable necessities of life, ranking equal in importance with only air and water. Even though Saudi government and some states governments do provide food to pilgrims, yet Nigerians like to patronize the food prepared by Nigerians in the Diaspora better known as ‘takari’ which, according to them, is more tasty and delicious. In this case, EHO would go round the various spots and tents where these foods are prepared to educate the food handlers on the guidelines and procedure they will adhere to from the stage of preparation to the point of sale to the pilgrims, in such a way the food be free from obvious and visible dirt, and from gross microbial, chemical or biological contaminants.
These ‘takari’ are in the habit of getting stale food due for disposal, re-heat it, package it, and offer it for sale to unsuspecting pilgrims, which is contaminated, and therefore unfit for human consumption. EHO, must be vigilant, active and a barrier between ‘Takari’, and the pilgrims, to make sure food offer for sale to the latter is wholesome.
Public health inspection: house to house inspection of pilgrims to sensitize and educate them on cleanliness of their rooms, sanitary conveniences, and proper & appropriate utilization of sanitary facilities provided, to ensure clean and free offensive odour environment.
Diseases control: majority of the disease affecting the pilgrims are preventable, for instance, diarrhea, food poisoning, some allergies, dysentery, etc., are associated with either change in dietary habit, poor personal hygiene, or non-adherence to precautions, and environmental influence. So, regular inspection and educating the pilgrims on how to protect their health, will address 70% of health needs of Nigerian pilgrims.
These and many more are are the good things the EHOs can do.
Based on these, the federal government must make sure only registered and licensed EHOs, adequate in number, are given the chance to participate in rendering their services in the holy land as part of hajj medical teams. States government must be made to be include registered EHO in their medical team, so that their impact can be seen, as doctors, pharmacist and nurses have fewer roles to play than EHO in educating the pilgrims on the do’s and don’ts of prevention, which is better than cure, the are ubiquitous length, not staying in clinics to do their work.
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
DEPARTMENT HOLDS ORIENTATION/INDUCTION CEREMONY
By Mensah ISAAC
It was excitement all the way as National Association of Environmental Health Students of Nigeria (NAEHSN), College of Health Technology (COTECH),Calabar, Cross River state, Nigeria Chapter held orientation/induction ceremony for her 2011/2012 academic session admitted Students. The event held recently at the department's lecture hall 3 witnessed myriads of activities.
In his opening remark,the Head of Department, Environment health, represented by Sanitarian Eyo Essien bid welcome to intakes, saying that the department has the requisite lecturers to train students capable of competiting favorably with contemporaries in other institutions. He urged students to work hard in order to graduate with fly colours.
Giving an Introduction of the department, lecturer, Mrs Christiana Unoh remarked that Environment Health deals with control of factors hazardous to man's immediate or remote environment and capable of affecting man's physically, mental, social, and economic development negatively. She disclosed that Environmental Health Officers are Environmental police stressing that they have the authority to enforce laws bordering on environmental sanitation by way of instituting a legal action against defaulters of environmental laws, and stop activities injurious to man's health.
She outlined Waste management, control/monitoring of pollution media (air,land and water),environmental impact assessment among others as components of Environmental Health. On his part, Cross River State chapter President, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria(EHOAN), Sanitarian Major Major Elijah, noted that the department has two(2) regulatory professional bodies: Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria(EHORECON), and EHOAN.
EHORECON is concerned with issuing practicing license to certified Environmental Health Officers as well metes out sanctions on erring members while EHOAN embodies all Environmental Health practitioners in Nigeria. Earlier, Mr Elijah Ivi said that the departments dressing code of catton colour trouser, white shirt,blue tie,epulet, brown shoe and brown belt. Moreso that students with four (4) failed courses automatically repeats a year instead of resitting same exams, hence the need to be academically focused.
While inducting the intakes into the membership of the students' association (NAEHSN),Barr.Emmanuel Eyo challenged students to obey constituted authorities as well as the abiding principles of the department. He charged them to shun all forms of social vices such as Cultism, examination-malpractices etc. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the intakes were given a tour round the institution's community to familiarized them with some strategic buildings of the institution. They were also taken to OLD Residence museum where they were taught on the history of Calabar and slave trade in Africa.
In a chat with CAMPUSLIFE, the president, NAEHSN, Onu Sabastine Eke informed that, “the programme was part of the association's official annual obligation. This year's was spectacular because about 115 students were admitted to study Environmental Health in College of Health Technology, Calabar, Cross-River state' Reacting, a freshman, Francis Henshaw said the orientation exercise was indeed a eye-opener to profession's ethics, bodies, etc. He promised to justify his studentship status by putting all what he learnt in the exercise to practice.
It was excitement all the way as National Association of Environmental Health Students of Nigeria (NAEHSN), College of Health Technology (COTECH),Calabar, Cross River state, Nigeria Chapter held orientation/induction ceremony for her 2011/2012 academic session admitted Students. The event held recently at the department's lecture hall 3 witnessed myriads of activities.
In his opening remark,the Head of Department, Environment health, represented by Sanitarian Eyo Essien bid welcome to intakes, saying that the department has the requisite lecturers to train students capable of competiting favorably with contemporaries in other institutions. He urged students to work hard in order to graduate with fly colours.
Giving an Introduction of the department, lecturer, Mrs Christiana Unoh remarked that Environment Health deals with control of factors hazardous to man's immediate or remote environment and capable of affecting man's physically, mental, social, and economic development negatively. She disclosed that Environmental Health Officers are Environmental police stressing that they have the authority to enforce laws bordering on environmental sanitation by way of instituting a legal action against defaulters of environmental laws, and stop activities injurious to man's health.
She outlined Waste management, control/monitoring of pollution media (air,land and water),environmental impact assessment among others as components of Environmental Health. On his part, Cross River State chapter President, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria(EHOAN), Sanitarian Major Major Elijah, noted that the department has two(2) regulatory professional bodies: Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria(EHORECON), and EHOAN.
EHORECON is concerned with issuing practicing license to certified Environmental Health Officers as well metes out sanctions on erring members while EHOAN embodies all Environmental Health practitioners in Nigeria. Earlier, Mr Elijah Ivi said that the departments dressing code of catton colour trouser, white shirt,blue tie,epulet, brown shoe and brown belt. Moreso that students with four (4) failed courses automatically repeats a year instead of resitting same exams, hence the need to be academically focused.
While inducting the intakes into the membership of the students' association (NAEHSN),Barr.Emmanuel Eyo challenged students to obey constituted authorities as well as the abiding principles of the department. He charged them to shun all forms of social vices such as Cultism, examination-malpractices etc. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the intakes were given a tour round the institution's community to familiarized them with some strategic buildings of the institution. They were also taken to OLD Residence museum where they were taught on the history of Calabar and slave trade in Africa.
In a chat with CAMPUSLIFE, the president, NAEHSN, Onu Sabastine Eke informed that, “the programme was part of the association's official annual obligation. This year's was spectacular because about 115 students were admitted to study Environmental Health in College of Health Technology, Calabar, Cross-River state' Reacting, a freshman, Francis Henshaw said the orientation exercise was indeed a eye-opener to profession's ethics, bodies, etc. He promised to justify his studentship status by putting all what he learnt in the exercise to practice.
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
World Environmental Health Day
International Federation of Environmental Health London, England, United Kingdom
A Proclamation
To All These Presents Shall Come – Greetings
Whereas The Board of Directors of the International Federation of Environmental Health declare that 26 September 2011 be celebrated as World Environmental Health Day, and,
Whereas World Environmental Health Day recognizes the dedication and work of environmental health professionals, environmental health educators, researchers and students around the world, and,
Whereas the services provided by environmental health professionals heightens the visibility of environmental health professionals to the general public, the public sector, the not-for-profit sector, and the business community and,
Whereas the core services performed by environmental health professionals are essential elements in “caring for the environment in the interest of world health”, in building healthy populations, including food safety and sanitation, water quality (drinking and recreational), air quality (indoor and outdoor), community sanitation and environmental health, communicable disease control, tobacco control, vector management, emergency management and disaster preparedness, and,
Whereas the General Council of the International Federation of Environmental Health has agreed to the proclamation of World Environmental Health Day, with consent of the Board of Directors and also to host the Inaugural Environmental Health Youth Summit in Bali, Indonesia;
Now Know Ye That We do by these present proclaim and declare September 26, 2011 to be known as ‘World Environmental Health Day’ within the international environmental health community.
In testimony thereof we attach the logo and crest of the International Federation of Environmental Health.
Witness the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Environmental Health this 26 TH day of September 2011,
In Command.
Robert W Bradbury, President Peter Davey, President-Elect
Raymond Ellard, Honorary Secretary Stephen Cooper, Honorary
International Federation of Environmental Health
A Proclamation
To All These Presents Shall Come – Greetings
Whereas The Board of Directors of the International Federation of Environmental Health declare that 26 September 2011 be celebrated as World Environmental Health Day, and,
Whereas World Environmental Health Day recognizes the dedication and work of environmental health professionals, environmental health educators, researchers and students around the world, and,
Whereas the services provided by environmental health professionals heightens the visibility of environmental health professionals to the general public, the public sector, the not-for-profit sector, and the business community and,
Whereas the core services performed by environmental health professionals are essential elements in “caring for the environment in the interest of world health”, in building healthy populations, including food safety and sanitation, water quality (drinking and recreational), air quality (indoor and outdoor), community sanitation and environmental health, communicable disease control, tobacco control, vector management, emergency management and disaster preparedness, and,
Whereas the General Council of the International Federation of Environmental Health has agreed to the proclamation of World Environmental Health Day, with consent of the Board of Directors and also to host the Inaugural Environmental Health Youth Summit in Bali, Indonesia;
Now Know Ye That We do by these present proclaim and declare September 26, 2011 to be known as ‘World Environmental Health Day’ within the international environmental health community.
In testimony thereof we attach the logo and crest of the International Federation of Environmental Health.
Witness the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Environmental Health this 26 TH day of September 2011,
In Command.
Robert W Bradbury, President Peter Davey, President-Elect
Raymond Ellard, Honorary Secretary Stephen Cooper, Honorary
International Federation of Environmental Health
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Degree program in environmental health
For those Seeking an admission to have a degree in Environmental Health in Nigeria, another opportunity has come at Kwara State University. The university is offering the course from 2011/2012 session.
For more information,please visit their website.
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Enhancing Environmental Health Services In Nigeria
Wilfred Sawa o
08/13/2011
Amidst contentions about its mandate by some recalcitrant practitioners, Environmental Health Officers and Registration Council of Nigeria, EHRECON, is now poised to effectively discharge its regulatory functions, writes HARRISON EDEH.
For the Environmental Health Officers and Registration Council of Nigeria, EHRECON, there is no better time than now. Amidst recent controversies over its oversight functions with some stakeholders in the business, a land mark judgment has been delivered in their favour thus empowering them the full legal powers to regulate the activities of health workers in the country.
The body is statutorily charged with the mandate of regulating the activities of the profession. The council, as a parastatal under the federal ministry of environment was established by the Act 11 of 2002 to register environmental health officers and regulate the practice of the profession. It is not only empowered to register the practitioners, but to also practise same.
In 2007, the council started the regulation of the practices in the area of cleaning services, pest control, waste collection services, among others. The components of the environmental health include sanitation, which is very broad; it encompasses housing, environment, food and some other aspects.
Though it is not the council’s responsibility to carry out these services, those that are registered by the council are duly authorised to carry out these activities. Today, government is trying to bring in some private sector in the provision of services in the area of sanitation.
Finding has, however, shown that in several cases, people who are not authorised by the council carry out these functions in the areas that are of health significance. An unofficial statement from ENHORECON stated that, “in the hospitals where you have to deal with pathogenic organisms, when you bring people who are not trained to clean the hospitals, you discover that they carry out the jobs with minimum health precautions, and that is because they are not professionals”.
The mandate of ENHORECON cuts across the various aspects of sanitation. It involves personal hygiene, housing, environment, food and others. The World Health Organisation, WHO, has already said that 70 percent preventable diseases that are rampant in the world today could be avoided if greater emphasis was given to sanitation. The world body has thus taken the lead in the campaign for a more friendly and healthy environment.
Environmental health has been defined recently as comprising those aspects of human health, including quality of life, which is determined by physical, biological, chemical, social and psychological factors in the environment.
It also refers to the theory and the practice of assessing, correcting, controlling, and preventing these factors that can potentially and adversely affect the health of present and future generations. Environmental health programmes are organised community efforts to monitor and modify man-environment relationships for a better health.
Environmental health organisation essentially helps in the prevention, detection and control of environmental hazards which affect human health. The United Nations, through WHO, has equally specified that the control and maintenance of environmental health can be achieved through functions such as proper waste management, food control and hygiene, pest and vector control, environmental health control of sanitation, epidemiological investigation and control.
Others are air quality management, occupational health and safety, water resources management and sanitation, noise control, protection of recreational environment, control of frontiers , air and sea ports , and border crossing, pollution control and abatement, educational activities, as well as environmental health impact assessment.
Considering these factors, experts have advised that matters that are associated with ENHORECON ought to be handled professionally, like it is obtainable in the fields of engineering and medicine. Trained personnel ought to register with the legally institutionalised agency, ENHORECON, the body legally charged with the responsibility of regulating health practices in the country.
Unarguably, EHORECON can not be at every nook and cranny of the country. That is why it needs the official registration of all those that would work collaboratively with it in order to ensure a professional handling of its activities by those who are duly authorised to work on its behalf.
Recently, the council, in its continuous effort to maintain professionalism and standard, asked people who were involved in illegal practice to come and register with them in order to enhance compliance to the rule of law. But a group known as the Cleaners Association of Nigeria bluntly refused, assuming that the council had no powers to regulate them because according to them, they had already registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.
After repeated warnings that they were practising in a regulated profession necessitating the need for their compliance, they rebuffed and headed for the court. That case lasted for almost four years, but eventually, the justice of the high court, Justice Bilikisu Bello Aliyu, delivered judgment in favour of EHORECON.
By implication, all corporate companies who are engaging in cleaning services but are yet duly registered with the council are advised to do so.
In Nigeria, the development of environmental health has a history. As far back as the 18th century, the colonial government took the issue of preventive health services seriously because of the need to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, which was a major killer of colonial officials. They introduced the then sanitary inspectors to the colony of Lagos.
The position of the sanitary officer was a very top position in the then colonial government. That was why a senior Municipal Sanitary Officer was statutorily made a member of the legislative council in 1913 before the amalgamation of both the Southern and Northern Protectorates.
Following the establishment of council, efforts have been made to raise the standard of environmental health practice in the country. This is because environmental health has continued to play a major role in disease prevention, control and sustenance of environmental integrity worldwide.
According to experts, over 70 percent diseases that cause the highest morbidity and mortality rate in the country is environment related. This makes the control of environmental health practice crucial as it will assist government’s efforts to alleviate poverty, a programme that is central to the Millennium Development Goal, MDG.
In line with this development, Chief Mrs. Helen Esuene, the former minister of environment, housing and urban development, remarked that “the realisation that many practitioners of environmental health do not even know that their practices constitute environmental health practice has compounded the task of regulating their practice”.
Stressing further on the issue, the registrar of EHORECON, Mr. Augustine Ebisike, had disclosed that the landmark judgment in favour of the council would give them the full capacity to swing into the action of regulating the practice of the profession.
He also commended Lagos, Kaduna and Ondo states for engaging environmental health officers in conformity with the mandate of the body. He also remarked that EHORECON would not relent in its efforts towards ensuring that those who are averse to complying with its rules will be appropriately punished in accordance with the law.
08/13/2011
Amidst contentions about its mandate by some recalcitrant practitioners, Environmental Health Officers and Registration Council of Nigeria, EHRECON, is now poised to effectively discharge its regulatory functions, writes HARRISON EDEH.
For the Environmental Health Officers and Registration Council of Nigeria, EHRECON, there is no better time than now. Amidst recent controversies over its oversight functions with some stakeholders in the business, a land mark judgment has been delivered in their favour thus empowering them the full legal powers to regulate the activities of health workers in the country.
The body is statutorily charged with the mandate of regulating the activities of the profession. The council, as a parastatal under the federal ministry of environment was established by the Act 11 of 2002 to register environmental health officers and regulate the practice of the profession. It is not only empowered to register the practitioners, but to also practise same.
In 2007, the council started the regulation of the practices in the area of cleaning services, pest control, waste collection services, among others. The components of the environmental health include sanitation, which is very broad; it encompasses housing, environment, food and some other aspects.
Though it is not the council’s responsibility to carry out these services, those that are registered by the council are duly authorised to carry out these activities. Today, government is trying to bring in some private sector in the provision of services in the area of sanitation.
Finding has, however, shown that in several cases, people who are not authorised by the council carry out these functions in the areas that are of health significance. An unofficial statement from ENHORECON stated that, “in the hospitals where you have to deal with pathogenic organisms, when you bring people who are not trained to clean the hospitals, you discover that they carry out the jobs with minimum health precautions, and that is because they are not professionals”.
The mandate of ENHORECON cuts across the various aspects of sanitation. It involves personal hygiene, housing, environment, food and others. The World Health Organisation, WHO, has already said that 70 percent preventable diseases that are rampant in the world today could be avoided if greater emphasis was given to sanitation. The world body has thus taken the lead in the campaign for a more friendly and healthy environment.
Environmental health has been defined recently as comprising those aspects of human health, including quality of life, which is determined by physical, biological, chemical, social and psychological factors in the environment.
It also refers to the theory and the practice of assessing, correcting, controlling, and preventing these factors that can potentially and adversely affect the health of present and future generations. Environmental health programmes are organised community efforts to monitor and modify man-environment relationships for a better health.
Environmental health organisation essentially helps in the prevention, detection and control of environmental hazards which affect human health. The United Nations, through WHO, has equally specified that the control and maintenance of environmental health can be achieved through functions such as proper waste management, food control and hygiene, pest and vector control, environmental health control of sanitation, epidemiological investigation and control.
Others are air quality management, occupational health and safety, water resources management and sanitation, noise control, protection of recreational environment, control of frontiers , air and sea ports , and border crossing, pollution control and abatement, educational activities, as well as environmental health impact assessment.
Considering these factors, experts have advised that matters that are associated with ENHORECON ought to be handled professionally, like it is obtainable in the fields of engineering and medicine. Trained personnel ought to register with the legally institutionalised agency, ENHORECON, the body legally charged with the responsibility of regulating health practices in the country.
Unarguably, EHORECON can not be at every nook and cranny of the country. That is why it needs the official registration of all those that would work collaboratively with it in order to ensure a professional handling of its activities by those who are duly authorised to work on its behalf.
Recently, the council, in its continuous effort to maintain professionalism and standard, asked people who were involved in illegal practice to come and register with them in order to enhance compliance to the rule of law. But a group known as the Cleaners Association of Nigeria bluntly refused, assuming that the council had no powers to regulate them because according to them, they had already registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.
After repeated warnings that they were practising in a regulated profession necessitating the need for their compliance, they rebuffed and headed for the court. That case lasted for almost four years, but eventually, the justice of the high court, Justice Bilikisu Bello Aliyu, delivered judgment in favour of EHORECON.
By implication, all corporate companies who are engaging in cleaning services but are yet duly registered with the council are advised to do so.
In Nigeria, the development of environmental health has a history. As far back as the 18th century, the colonial government took the issue of preventive health services seriously because of the need to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, which was a major killer of colonial officials. They introduced the then sanitary inspectors to the colony of Lagos.
The position of the sanitary officer was a very top position in the then colonial government. That was why a senior Municipal Sanitary Officer was statutorily made a member of the legislative council in 1913 before the amalgamation of both the Southern and Northern Protectorates.
Following the establishment of council, efforts have been made to raise the standard of environmental health practice in the country. This is because environmental health has continued to play a major role in disease prevention, control and sustenance of environmental integrity worldwide.
According to experts, over 70 percent diseases that cause the highest morbidity and mortality rate in the country is environment related. This makes the control of environmental health practice crucial as it will assist government’s efforts to alleviate poverty, a programme that is central to the Millennium Development Goal, MDG.
In line with this development, Chief Mrs. Helen Esuene, the former minister of environment, housing and urban development, remarked that “the realisation that many practitioners of environmental health do not even know that their practices constitute environmental health practice has compounded the task of regulating their practice”.
Stressing further on the issue, the registrar of EHORECON, Mr. Augustine Ebisike, had disclosed that the landmark judgment in favour of the council would give them the full capacity to swing into the action of regulating the practice of the profession.
He also commended Lagos, Kaduna and Ondo states for engaging environmental health officers in conformity with the mandate of the body. He also remarked that EHORECON would not relent in its efforts towards ensuring that those who are averse to complying with its rules will be appropriately punished in accordance with the law.
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
TRAINING AND FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRARCTITIONERS [EHP]/ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS [EHO]
Considering the dearth of manpower in environmental health in Nigeria, the Environmental Health Officers Registration council of Nigeria [EHORECON], in collaboration with UNICEF, Federal Ministry of Environment develops a curriculum for the training of Environmental health practitioners at B.Sc/B.Tech levels in Nigerian universities.
Right now in Nigeria, it is only Federal University of Technology Owerri; [FUTO] is running the programme, with plan by University of Ilorin to start soon.
What you will read below, is the rationale behind training of environmental health officers at degree level, which I copiously copy from the 24th public lecture handbook of Federal university of technology, Owerri, titled ‘Environmental health and Sanitation as a panacea to disease control and prevention’, by Prof Agwu Nkwa Amadi.
It will serve; I am sure a source of information to aspiring fellow environmental health officers that wants further their education to B.sc/B.tech and higher levels.
TRAINING AND FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRARCTITIONERS [EHP]/ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS [EHO]
The training of an EHO/EHP is rigorous, like medicine and surgery, pharmacy, medical laboratory sciences, etc. The overall objective of the B.Sc/B.Tech [environmental health] degree programme is to contribute towards the improvement of health of the Nigerian population and its quality of life. It is, therefore, expected that at the end of the course, an environmental health graduate should have acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes to achieve the following specific objectives [averagely, the training of an EHO takes average of seven years comprising five years of training in university one year of internship and one year of youth services]:
General Objectives
Upon satisfactory completion of the programme in environmental health, graduates will be able to…
I. characterize major sources of chemical or microbial contamination of environmental media, viz, water, air, soil and food;
II. identify current regulatory programmes and legislative authorities directed at prevention and control of contamination of environmental media including water, air, soil and food;
III. describe major processes in human and natural environments that affect transport, dispersion, transformation, and accumulation of hazardous agents and identify characteristics of the agent, the environment and the conditions of release that influence the environment and distinguish key factors in a given scenario;
IV. characterize mechanism and processes by which toxic or infectious hazards reach target populations and predict the most significant exposure pathways in a given scenario;
V. describe and apply means by which exposures of target populations to toxic or infectious hazard can be measured and]or modeled; indicate how these approaches would depend upon the properties of specific contaminants; and identify sources and magnitudes of uncertainties associated with these characterization;
VI. describe and apply means of preventing or controlling adverse effects of contamination of environmental media [water, air, soil and food] on public health that are available to local, state and federal regulatory agencies or the private sector; and
VII. Communicate effectively with the public and professionals regarding potential public health impacts, mitigation strategies and associated uncertainties related to chemicals, or microbial contamination of environmental media [water, air, soil and food].
Cognitive Objectives
I To describe and apply the scientific principles involved in the identification, analysis and in providing solution to environmental health problems.
II To identify the communication and group dynamic processes necessary to effect changes.
III To describe the investigative or monitoring processes necessary to identify the environmental health problems in a community.
IV To describe in detail the steps in planning and implementing an appropriate environmental health programme aimed at solving these problems.
V To describe the basic knowledge of physical, sociological and biological theories, concepts and principle principles and application of these in the practice of environmental health.
VI To describe in detail the list of the commonest communicable diseases in the country, their mode of transmission and indicate methods of controlling the biological and physical environment so as to prevent them.
VII To list the public and Environmental Health laws of the country and explains their rational application so as to encourage citizen to voluntary compliance.
Psychomotor Objectives
I To perform accurately, standard laboratory tests employed in the monitoring of the physical environment, water supply, sewage disposal and food sanitation and hygiene.
II To design a satisfactory graphic representation of the water treatment plant of a rural community; an urban community.
III To design a satisfactory graphic representation of the sewage disposal and treatment plant of an urban community.
IV To initiate and undertake actions capable of preventing diseases and prolong lives.
V To identify an ill person within the community and make appropriate referral after initial first aid management.
VI To assume leadership role during times of emergency within the community
VII To manage resources adequately and perform required administrative functions.
VII To be able to recognizes an epidemic and design management strategy for its control.
Affective Objectives
1 To demonstrate an attitude that places premium on team work, accepting and performing leadership and followership role with equal effectiveness.
2 To demonstrate an attitude of pride in the contribution of his profession to the health of the nation and hence continually seek self-education and improved effectiveness.
3 To demonstrate an attitude of scientific enquiry in relation to every aspect of his professional activity, never taking anything for granted nor prematurely jumping to conclusions.
Employment Opportuinities
A carreer in Environmental health is both rewarding and challenging. Thus graduates of the discipline will be very suitably equipped to take on gainful employment in the following areas.
i Public health related agencies and environmental sanitation parastasals.
ii pollution monitoring and controls outfits.
iii Disease surveillance units/establishments
iv Research institutions
v Public health department of state and federal ministries of health, public utilities, etc.
vi Agencies concerned with food inspection, standards, disease control vis-à-vis immunization programmes, etc.
vii Private establishments and independently operated laboratories/ and referrals units for the analysis of environmental samples such polluted water, food [cooked], confectionaries/ bakeries, etc.
viii Establish private outfits in different areas of environmental health management..
The roles and functions of graduates of environmental health
Graduate employment opportunities will be varied and would include, among others, employment
by international organizations, government agencies as well as non-governmental organizations. Graduate of the B.Sc/B.Tech Environmental Health programme will be adequately prepared to perform the following roles and functions:
i Monitoring and management of environmental safety and protection at higher level of practice.
ii Initiation, implementation and evaluation of environmental health services.
iii Involvement in designing and inspecting of all types of premises and situations for environmental, occupational and sanitation requirement and compliance.
iv provision of technical advice in the enactment and enforcement of laws, regulations and by-laws relevant to public and environmental health.
v Conducting research activities on communities and the environmental health problems and suggesting solutions to the problems.
vi Participating in the surveillance and control of communicable diseases at local, state, national and international levels.
vii participation in the formation and development of health policies for the management and improvement of public health and its sustainability.
ix Facilitation of change towards positive health and its sustainability.
x production of ICT in the relevant areas of public health.
xi planning teaching and training programmes for environmental health personnel, and other related health workers and community members
xii Using appropriate intervention measures to educate the community on issues that relate to environmental and public health.
xiii Engagement in continuing education and research in public health.
Right now in Nigeria, it is only Federal University of Technology Owerri; [FUTO] is running the programme, with plan by University of Ilorin to start soon.
What you will read below, is the rationale behind training of environmental health officers at degree level, which I copiously copy from the 24th public lecture handbook of Federal university of technology, Owerri, titled ‘Environmental health and Sanitation as a panacea to disease control and prevention’, by Prof Agwu Nkwa Amadi.
It will serve; I am sure a source of information to aspiring fellow environmental health officers that wants further their education to B.sc/B.tech and higher levels.
TRAINING AND FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRARCTITIONERS [EHP]/ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS [EHO]
The training of an EHO/EHP is rigorous, like medicine and surgery, pharmacy, medical laboratory sciences, etc. The overall objective of the B.Sc/B.Tech [environmental health] degree programme is to contribute towards the improvement of health of the Nigerian population and its quality of life. It is, therefore, expected that at the end of the course, an environmental health graduate should have acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes to achieve the following specific objectives [averagely, the training of an EHO takes average of seven years comprising five years of training in university one year of internship and one year of youth services]:
General Objectives
Upon satisfactory completion of the programme in environmental health, graduates will be able to…
I. characterize major sources of chemical or microbial contamination of environmental media, viz, water, air, soil and food;
II. identify current regulatory programmes and legislative authorities directed at prevention and control of contamination of environmental media including water, air, soil and food;
III. describe major processes in human and natural environments that affect transport, dispersion, transformation, and accumulation of hazardous agents and identify characteristics of the agent, the environment and the conditions of release that influence the environment and distinguish key factors in a given scenario;
IV. characterize mechanism and processes by which toxic or infectious hazards reach target populations and predict the most significant exposure pathways in a given scenario;
V. describe and apply means by which exposures of target populations to toxic or infectious hazard can be measured and]or modeled; indicate how these approaches would depend upon the properties of specific contaminants; and identify sources and magnitudes of uncertainties associated with these characterization;
VI. describe and apply means of preventing or controlling adverse effects of contamination of environmental media [water, air, soil and food] on public health that are available to local, state and federal regulatory agencies or the private sector; and
VII. Communicate effectively with the public and professionals regarding potential public health impacts, mitigation strategies and associated uncertainties related to chemicals, or microbial contamination of environmental media [water, air, soil and food].
Cognitive Objectives
I To describe and apply the scientific principles involved in the identification, analysis and in providing solution to environmental health problems.
II To identify the communication and group dynamic processes necessary to effect changes.
III To describe the investigative or monitoring processes necessary to identify the environmental health problems in a community.
IV To describe in detail the steps in planning and implementing an appropriate environmental health programme aimed at solving these problems.
V To describe the basic knowledge of physical, sociological and biological theories, concepts and principle principles and application of these in the practice of environmental health.
VI To describe in detail the list of the commonest communicable diseases in the country, their mode of transmission and indicate methods of controlling the biological and physical environment so as to prevent them.
VII To list the public and Environmental Health laws of the country and explains their rational application so as to encourage citizen to voluntary compliance.
Psychomotor Objectives
I To perform accurately, standard laboratory tests employed in the monitoring of the physical environment, water supply, sewage disposal and food sanitation and hygiene.
II To design a satisfactory graphic representation of the water treatment plant of a rural community; an urban community.
III To design a satisfactory graphic representation of the sewage disposal and treatment plant of an urban community.
IV To initiate and undertake actions capable of preventing diseases and prolong lives.
V To identify an ill person within the community and make appropriate referral after initial first aid management.
VI To assume leadership role during times of emergency within the community
VII To manage resources adequately and perform required administrative functions.
VII To be able to recognizes an epidemic and design management strategy for its control.
Affective Objectives
1 To demonstrate an attitude that places premium on team work, accepting and performing leadership and followership role with equal effectiveness.
2 To demonstrate an attitude of pride in the contribution of his profession to the health of the nation and hence continually seek self-education and improved effectiveness.
3 To demonstrate an attitude of scientific enquiry in relation to every aspect of his professional activity, never taking anything for granted nor prematurely jumping to conclusions.
Employment Opportuinities
A carreer in Environmental health is both rewarding and challenging. Thus graduates of the discipline will be very suitably equipped to take on gainful employment in the following areas.
i Public health related agencies and environmental sanitation parastasals.
ii pollution monitoring and controls outfits.
iii Disease surveillance units/establishments
iv Research institutions
v Public health department of state and federal ministries of health, public utilities, etc.
vi Agencies concerned with food inspection, standards, disease control vis-à-vis immunization programmes, etc.
vii Private establishments and independently operated laboratories/ and referrals units for the analysis of environmental samples such polluted water, food [cooked], confectionaries/ bakeries, etc.
viii Establish private outfits in different areas of environmental health management..
The roles and functions of graduates of environmental health
Graduate employment opportunities will be varied and would include, among others, employment
by international organizations, government agencies as well as non-governmental organizations. Graduate of the B.Sc/B.Tech Environmental Health programme will be adequately prepared to perform the following roles and functions:
i Monitoring and management of environmental safety and protection at higher level of practice.
ii Initiation, implementation and evaluation of environmental health services.
iii Involvement in designing and inspecting of all types of premises and situations for environmental, occupational and sanitation requirement and compliance.
iv provision of technical advice in the enactment and enforcement of laws, regulations and by-laws relevant to public and environmental health.
v Conducting research activities on communities and the environmental health problems and suggesting solutions to the problems.
vi Participating in the surveillance and control of communicable diseases at local, state, national and international levels.
vii participation in the formation and development of health policies for the management and improvement of public health and its sustainability.
ix Facilitation of change towards positive health and its sustainability.
x production of ICT in the relevant areas of public health.
xi planning teaching and training programmes for environmental health personnel, and other related health workers and community members
xii Using appropriate intervention measures to educate the community on issues that relate to environmental and public health.
xiii Engagement in continuing education and research in public health.
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
IFEH 12th World Congress on Environmental health
Dear Colleagues,
The Organizers of the 12th World Congress on Environmental Health have a great honour and pleasure of inviting you to take part in this Congress to be held on 21st-27th of May, 2012, in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The Congress will focus on the most relevant issues that reflect the main theme of the Congress – “New Technologies, Healthy Human Being and Environment” including traditional topics and aspects of environmental health, such as health impact and health risk assessment, noise and electromagnetic fields impact, food safety and public education. The Congress will touch as well new challenges to public health - such as information technologies, gene engineering, new epidemics, climate change and other.
Vilnius, the historical capital of Lithuania, dating back to the 14th century, has the most beautiful and the largest old town, awarded with the status of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, with Vilnius University being the oldest one in Eastern Europe. It is rapidly expanding as a modern European capital, so you can experience the harmony of the old and the new Vilnius. For the participants of the Congress this will provide beautiful atmosphere and the mood for work and friendship.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Vilnius!
With warm regards,
Viktorija Montviliene
Chairperson
Lithuanian Union of Hygienists and Epidemiologists
ORGANISERS:
International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH)
Lithuanian Union of Hygienists and Epidemiologists (LUHE)
LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE:
Viktorija Montviliene, Chair
Audrius Sceponavicius, Ministry of Health
Andrius Kavaliunas, Ministry of Health
Rimantas Stukas, Vilnius University
Romualdas Sabaliauskas, Centre for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Ingrida Zurlyte, Centre for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Albinas Mastauskas, Radiation Protection Centre
Marius Urbonas, State Public Health Service
Vytautas Vaitkus, Ministry of the Interior
Ausra Isariene, State Food and Veterinary Service
Asta Razmiene, Vilnius Public Health Centre
Robertas Petraitis, Vilnius University
Vidmantas Januskevicius, Kaunas University of Medicine
Asta Slepetiene, Klaipeda Public Health Centre
Janina Tamosiuniene, Siauliai Public Health Centre
Viktoras Grincevicius, Panevezys Public Health Centre
MAIN TOPICS
New Technologies and Health:
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Laser (optical radiation) Technologies
• Information technologies (IT)
• Gene Engineering
Food Safety, Nutrition and Physical Activity:
• Genetically Modified Food
• Sports and Nutrition
• Overweight and Obesity
• Technologies for Water Pollution Reduction
• Quality of Drinking Water
• Food-borne Communicable Diseases
Environmental Health:
• Health Impact Assessment
• Occupational Health Risk Assessment
• Noise Impact
• Impact of Electromagnetic Fields
• Air Pollution
Public Education, Communication, E-information:
• Prevention of Harmful Habits
• Children Health Promotion
• Health Protection of Elderly People
The Threats in Public Health:
• Climate Change
• Flu Pandemic, New Epidemics (Avian Flu, SARS)
• Chemicals and Biological Substances
• Radiation Safety
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
MONDAY (21 Monday 2012)
IFEH Council Meeting
TUESDAY (22 May 2012)
Registration
Exhibition Opening
Welcome Reception
WEDNESDAY (23 May 2012)
Registration
All day Sessions
Reception
THURSDAY (24 May 2012)
Registration
All day Sessions
Congress Party
FRIDAY (25 May 2012)
Registration
Technical Visits
Workshops
SATURDAY (26 May 2012)
Registration
All day Sessions
Gala Dinner
SUNDAY (27 May 2012)
Closing Sessiion
The Organizers of the 12th World Congress on Environmental Health have a great honour and pleasure of inviting you to take part in this Congress to be held on 21st-27th of May, 2012, in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The Congress will focus on the most relevant issues that reflect the main theme of the Congress – “New Technologies, Healthy Human Being and Environment” including traditional topics and aspects of environmental health, such as health impact and health risk assessment, noise and electromagnetic fields impact, food safety and public education. The Congress will touch as well new challenges to public health - such as information technologies, gene engineering, new epidemics, climate change and other.
Vilnius, the historical capital of Lithuania, dating back to the 14th century, has the most beautiful and the largest old town, awarded with the status of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, with Vilnius University being the oldest one in Eastern Europe. It is rapidly expanding as a modern European capital, so you can experience the harmony of the old and the new Vilnius. For the participants of the Congress this will provide beautiful atmosphere and the mood for work and friendship.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Vilnius!
With warm regards,
Viktorija Montviliene
Chairperson
Lithuanian Union of Hygienists and Epidemiologists
ORGANISERS:
International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH)
Lithuanian Union of Hygienists and Epidemiologists (LUHE)
LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE:
Viktorija Montviliene, Chair
Audrius Sceponavicius, Ministry of Health
Andrius Kavaliunas, Ministry of Health
Rimantas Stukas, Vilnius University
Romualdas Sabaliauskas, Centre for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Ingrida Zurlyte, Centre for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Albinas Mastauskas, Radiation Protection Centre
Marius Urbonas, State Public Health Service
Vytautas Vaitkus, Ministry of the Interior
Ausra Isariene, State Food and Veterinary Service
Asta Razmiene, Vilnius Public Health Centre
Robertas Petraitis, Vilnius University
Vidmantas Januskevicius, Kaunas University of Medicine
Asta Slepetiene, Klaipeda Public Health Centre
Janina Tamosiuniene, Siauliai Public Health Centre
Viktoras Grincevicius, Panevezys Public Health Centre
MAIN TOPICS
New Technologies and Health:
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Laser (optical radiation) Technologies
• Information technologies (IT)
• Gene Engineering
Food Safety, Nutrition and Physical Activity:
• Genetically Modified Food
• Sports and Nutrition
• Overweight and Obesity
• Technologies for Water Pollution Reduction
• Quality of Drinking Water
• Food-borne Communicable Diseases
Environmental Health:
• Health Impact Assessment
• Occupational Health Risk Assessment
• Noise Impact
• Impact of Electromagnetic Fields
• Air Pollution
Public Education, Communication, E-information:
• Prevention of Harmful Habits
• Children Health Promotion
• Health Protection of Elderly People
The Threats in Public Health:
• Climate Change
• Flu Pandemic, New Epidemics (Avian Flu, SARS)
• Chemicals and Biological Substances
• Radiation Safety
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
MONDAY (21 Monday 2012)
IFEH Council Meeting
TUESDAY (22 May 2012)
Registration
Exhibition Opening
Welcome Reception
WEDNESDAY (23 May 2012)
Registration
All day Sessions
Reception
THURSDAY (24 May 2012)
Registration
All day Sessions
Congress Party
FRIDAY (25 May 2012)
Registration
Technical Visits
Workshops
SATURDAY (26 May 2012)
Registration
All day Sessions
Gala Dinner
SUNDAY (27 May 2012)
Closing Sessiion
I am an environmental public health practitioner. Obtained first degree in public health [environmental health and safety] from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
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