Environmental health officers in Delta State have urged the government to recruit more personnel and provide modern equipment to strengthen environmental health services and prevent disease outbreaks. The Deputy Director, Environmental Health Services, Sanitarian Esther Oghenevwegba Edafienene, made the call during the opening ceremony of public sensitisation activities marking the 2026 World Environmental Health Day in Asaba.
The global event, observed annually on September 26, focuses on the role of environmental health practitioners in protecting communities. This year's theme, “Environmental Health: Standing with Science to Protect Communities,” highlights the need for evidence-based approaches to tackle environmental health challenges. Sanitarian Edafienene emphasized that environmental health officers play a critical role in preventing diseases by identifying and controlling environmental factors that threaten public health.
Prevention is considered more effective and less costly than treating diseases after they occur. Sanitarian Edafienene encouraged residents to regard environmental protection as a collective responsibility involving individuals, families, communities, and government. She advised the public to maintain proper hygiene, dispose of waste responsibly, protect water sources, and avoid practices that expose communities to diseases or degrade the environment.
Sanitarian Edafienene also called for greater investment in the environmental health workforce, noting that some trained officers remain unemployed while serving personnel require additional equipment to effectively carry out their duties. The Deputy Director noted that the work of environmental health officers is often overlooked because much of their contribution involves preventing disease outbreaks before they occur.
The Chairman Environmental Health Officers Association, Sanitarian Nancy Chinedum-Mekwuye, stressed that prevention remains better than cure and that a clean environment helps reduce disease spread and promotes health and well-being. She urged residents to make environmental cleanliness a daily responsibility by keeping homes and surroundings clean and disposing of waste properly.
The World Environmental Health Day celebration in Delta State is a week-long programme featuring public sensitisation and activities aimed at promoting environmental health awareness and encouraging collective action towards cleaner, healthier, and safer communities. The Chairman House Committee on Environment, Hon. Kelven Nwabueze, encouraged environmental health officers to continue their good work and emphasised the importance of working with evidence-based approaches.
Hon. Nwabueze noted that a society that prioritises environmental health is healthier, safer, and better. He prayed that the celebration marks the beginning of greater achievements, new ideas, and renewed commitment to environmental health. The event aims to sensitise the public on the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy environment and promoting collective responsibility for environmental health.
Key points
- Environmental health officers in Delta State are seeking more personnel and modern equipment to strengthen disease prevention efforts.
- The 2026 World Environmental Health Day celebration in Delta State aims to promote environmental health awareness and encourage collective action towards cleaner, healthier, and safer communities.
- Prevention remains a more effective and less costly approach than treating diseases after they occur, according to environmental health experts.
