NEED FOR ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS IN DISASTER EMERGENCY RESPONSE NEED ASSESSMENT, PLANNING & MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA

In performing their daily statutory duties, Environmental health Officers have the task of protecting the public's health from harmful elements in the environment. Environmental health officers are known to be saddled with the responsibility diserster/nuisance  prevention and abatement. When emergencies or disaster occurs, the environment and the impacted communities is usually faced with high magnitude of Environmental issues (nuisances) and response needs.

Whether a disaster event is nature-made or man-made or combination of both, Environmental Health Officers have an important role to play in the follow up emergency response. Issues related to food, water, air quality, waste, vector control and building Environment will always exist.

The failure of sanitary conditions of IDP camps and post flood nuisances are clear cases of non inclusion of Environmental health officers to manage the said camp environment and living conditions of displaced persons professionally. Most times, political big wigs have been known to highjack Emergency Response facilities for pecuniary gains. For instance is the inflated multimillion naira grass cutting contract involving the sacked Secretary to the Federal government, Abbah Kyari. Environmental Health practitioners must be actively involved in local and state emergency response planning efforts. 

Emergencies vary greatly from region to region and city to city. For example, communities that are near chemical plants face unique emergency response challenges than those companies located far away. 

The planning processes of Emergency response should begin at the local level in determining the events that are most likely to occur in the community and developing appropriately local response plans, deciding who will respond and how, determining staffing and equipment needskills practicing plan implementation.

The states in Nigeria should as a matter of urgency, establish the state emergency management agencies (SEMA) the Local Emergency management agencies (LEMA) to handle  emergency response needs effectively as at when due.

 Also, Environmental Health Officers must be drafted/recruited to constitute the bulk of the staff as its their traditional duties.  Environmental health professionals in Nigeria should be regularly trained like their counterparts in the UK, Australia, and the US so as  to afford them the understanding of how their skills are needful, in responding to emergency events. 

The assessment of shelters for the 2005 hurricane evacuees in the US is a great example of the use of these skills. Many of the Environmental health issues that existed in the shelters were the same as those that practitioners inspect and assess during their regular day to day duties. These issues includes safe food preparation, safe/adequate supply of water, infection control/handwashing, solid waste disposal, and adequate sanitation facilities. Ensuring that these issues are addressed quickly and that  systems are functioning properly is essential for protecting the health and safety of shelter/camp occupants and visitors.

Since emergency response is centered around the statutory duties of Environmental health Officers, and  emergencies frequently require Environmental health Officers to be flexible and apply their skills and knowledge across several areas of Environmental health (eg food, water, waste, air quality, vector control) by bringing it to bear in Emergency Response Needs. EHOs and EH Practitioners should be given adequate opportunities to respond professionally to disasters/terrorism related Emergency response needs which actually calls for their regular training/review to the basics of mordern Disaster Response needs (including terrorism impacted Response needs) and should be aware of all technical updates. 

At the 2006 National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Annual Educational conference, a two-and-a-half day course titled "Environmental Health In Disaster Response-Leve1" provided the very basic review and technical updates needed for Environmental Health Practitioners in the US. This really proved helpful to the US Environmental Health service. Nigeria must learn from that and key in.

 The decision about when it is safe to re-enter and reoccupy a premises or a community after an emergency situation presents many challenges. Environmental health practitioners are well trained to know how to evaluate a variety of Environmental issues (eg., food, water, waste, air quality, pest/vector control etc); they address a variety of Environmental health issues in their daily jobs and can translate science into practice.

During, emergencies and response needs, they have the ability to collect, analyze, and translate Environmental data. These abilities are a great asset for decision makers. Experienced Environmental health practitioners are needed to lead the Environmental health response to emergency events. Establishing and maintaining strong Environmental health programs at the local and state levels helps to ensure that this leadership is reliably in place always and closer to the people..