Skip to main content

EHCN Unveils Education Resource Centre, Pledges Enhanced Practice For Professionals

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja 

L- R: Registrar of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCN), Dr Yakubu Baba; Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi and Professor of Environmental Public Health at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Dr Amadi Nkwa at the commissioning of EHCNs Education Resource Centre in Abuja, Wednesday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE


Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCN) has unveiled its education resource centre, modeled in line with international best practices, with a promise to bolster environmental health practise for professionals across the country. 

Located in Gwarinpa district Abuja, the centre houses a theater and Reference Environmental and Public Health Laboratory, and its expected to provide training for Post graduate students in environmental health and students from other discipline willing to study public health. 

Speaking at the commissioning of the facility on Wednesday, the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi commended EHCN for the laudable initiative targeted at strengthening environmental health practise in Nigeria. 

He was optimistic that the centre would operate in accordance with international standards while nurturing graduates that would compete favourably with their counterparts on environmental health practice globally. 

On his part, the Registrar of EHCN, Dr Yakubu Baba said that the centre would provide opportunities for research and capacity building for members of EHCN.

According to him, "Most times, when you examine the sequence of outbreak in Nigeria, you will see Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) trying to isolate the micro-organisms from human carriers on confirmed cases because the medium of transmission of diseases is either through air, food, water or soil." 

Baba stated that in a case of cholera outbreak, that its the responsibility of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) to take samples of the medium of transmission and carry out analysis in its reference laboratory to ascertain if its cholera or any other disease instead of waiting for NCDCs result. 

This he believed would reduce intervention time by NCDC, adding that EHCNs intervention is supposed to be proactive not reactive like what is obtainable  in the national health system. 

The registrar said that the centre would focus mainly on specialty programmes for environmental health practitioners across the country, adding that the West African College of Environmental Health through the support of West African Health Organisation have developed a benchmark for 17 faculties in environmental health.

Baba stated that the council would hold talks with representatives from the college on Friday to adopt and domesticate the faculties for effective takeoff of programmes at the centre. 

He said though the centre has a 40-seat capacity theater but with the existence of new technologies, that EHOs could leverage on the technology and participate in online trainings at the comfort of their homes. 

The registrar commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the needed support and funding for the effective takeoff of the centre, assuring that environmental health under his leadership would wax stronger as envisaged by his government. 

The minister was also decorated as a Fellow, Society for Environment and Public Health of Nigeria (SEPHON) for his numerous contributions towards the growth of environmental health in Nigeria. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EHCON Unveils Tech To Phase-out Vehicular Emissions, Targets Billions Of IGR

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Registrar of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), Dr Yakubu Baba (left) monitoring the processes while the Field Technicians runs the test with 3DATX Integrated Portable Emissions Measurement System (IPEMS) technology on Friday in Abuja. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE.  Committed to green economy, the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has unveiled vehicular emissions testing technology, meant to phase-out million tons of carbon emissions from the roads and improve air worthiness.  The technology, Integrated Portable Emissions Measurement System (IPEMS) which is the first of its kind to be used in the entire Africa, was designed to control emissions by connecting a 3DATX technology and software to a car while monitoring the process through a computer.  IPEMS provides gaseous and nanoparticle measurements with a proprietary cartridge system. It is designed with three sensor cartridge ports that provides an opportunity to customize each unit for y
Post a Comment
Read more

National Parks Panacea In Mitigating Climate Change- Olory

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Conservator of Park, Cross River National Park, CP Caroline Olory has disclosed that National Parks hold the key to mitigating climate change across the country.  She stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at a workshop organised by the Development Agenda in collaboration with Environmental Media Correspondents Assodiation of Nigeria with the theme: "Climate Change and COP28: The Way Forward For Nigeria." The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) scheduled to hold in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will garner more than 70,000 participants, including heads of state and government, government officials, representatives of international organisations, business leaders, academics and civil society organisations.  Olory lamented that climate disasters are happening at frightening rates in Nigeria, and a panacea to cushion the effect is the standing forest which serves as carbon sink that would absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. She informed
Post a Comment
Read more

Emerging Diseases: EHCON Faults Health Workers For Neglecting PPEs

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja L-R: Registrar of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr Yakubu Baba and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr Mahmud Adam Kambari during a Ministerial press briefing on Monday in Abuja.  The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has faulted health workers for neglecting the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in treating patients taunted by emerging diseases.  This followed the outbreak of an Acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) suspected to be Lassa Fever at the Accident and Emergency unit of the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna State last week.  News Rider reports that a circular issued on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, by the Acting Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Brigadier General S.O Okoigi revealed that the index patient died at the hospital after presenting symptoms of febrile illness while three health workers died within 48 hours. The PPEs are goggles, masks, glov
Post a Comment
Read more