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World Pest Day: EHCON Mulls New Regulation To Protect Public Health Investors

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
L-R: and Registrar/CEO of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr Yakubu Mohammed Baba and Coordinator of National Environmental Health Institute (NEHI) Dr. Andy Ukah at a Media Briefing to mark the 2024 World Pest Day in Abuja on Thursday.

In line with its commitment to preserve livelihoods, the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has advanced plans to issue another regulation that would protect investors in public health management. 

When concluded, the regulation is expected to provide an enabling environment for the investors and unveil stiff penalties for pest control professionals operating without registration and license. 

The Registrar/CEO of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr Yakubu Mohammed Baba stated this on Thursday in Abuja while addressing the media alongside members of  Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) on the significance of World Pest Day. 

He stated that the essence of registration and licensing is enable the council to follow-up on the standard operation procedure for public health pest management. 

"This is also meant to protect the public and off-takers of the services, while making sure that the professionals are using the right equipment and chemicals in the right proportion for environmental sustainability because bad chemicals wreck the ecosystem, "he added. 

News Rider reports that the Chinese Pest Control Association in partnership with other organisations set aside June 6 annually as World Pest Day, to raise awareness on the critical role of pest management in protecting public health, food safety and the environment.

Also, to initiate conversations on public health and prevent the transmission of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, Lyme and hantavirus that are spread through pests like mosquitoes, rodents and ticks. 

The theme of this year's celebration: "Global Solutions , Local Impacts : Mapping Success in Pest Management” highlighted the importance of both global and local collaboration in achieving successful pest management outcomes.

Staff of EHCON and members of PECAN in a group photograph to commemorate the 2024 World Pest Day in Abuja on Thursday. 

Baba stated that PECAN plays a pivotal role in preventing and controlling the spread of diseases, adding that pest management professionals contribute to the growth of communities by protecting movable and unmovable assets from pests, thereby shielding the country from economic losses. 

The registrar informed the public to engage the services of only registered public health pest control service providers for their safety and efficient services, saying that neglecting such services translates into contravention of the National Environmental Health Practice Regulations, 2016. 

While acknowledging the dedication of Pest Management Professionals (PMP) in protecting human lives and the environment, he reaffirmed its commitment to promoting scientific, effective and socially responsible pest management practices. 

He commended the Federal Ministry of Environment in playing prominent role in the control of pests and vectors of disease as seen during the February 2024, outbreak of lassa fever at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna, which resulted in the death of a patient and three health workers. 

This, he said compelled the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal to flag-off an intervention campaign that included deratisation exercise, to break the chain of transmission of lassa fever and other rodent-borne infectious diseases in Kaduna.

The registrar informed that the campaign was extended to cover the most affected States of Bauchi, Benue, Ebonyi, Ondo and Edo, representing the six geopolitical zones in the country. 

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