1 Orientation of Environmental Health Officers and Assistants

1 Orientation of Environmental Health Officers and Assistants 4 -5 October 2018 at AH Hotel, East Legon Definitions and Objectives of Environmental Health Services Kweku Quansah Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate kwekuquansah@gmail. com

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3 Discussions Define/Explain the following Terminologies; S Health S Environment S Sanitation S Environmental Health

4 Definitions S Health S Environment S Sanitation S Environmental Health

5 Health is a Complete State of Physical, Mental and Social well being of a person and not merely absence of disease or infirmity

6 Environment S Man’s total environment includes all the living and non-living elements (things) in his surroundings. consists of Physical, Biological and Social Environment S It

7 Environment S Physical …/2 (all non-living things) Air, Soil, Water, Minerals, Climate, Temperature, etc Biological (all living things) Plants, Animals, Fishes, Birds, Micro Organisms, etc S Social (situation of man as a member of society, family, c’nity) Beliefs, Attitudes, Politics, Health Care, Transport, Laws, Education, etc

8 Sanitation is a way of life, it is the quality of living that is expressed in clean home, farm, business and industry, and a clean neibourhood and a clean community. Being a way of life it must come from within the people, it is nourished by knowledge and grows as an obligation and as an ideal in human relations

9 Environmental Sanitation S The control of all factors in the environment which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical, mental and social well being. S In other words, it is the process of taming the environment so that it no longer constitutes a hazard to man.

10 Components of Environmental Sanitation S S S S Liquid waste management services (excreta, sewage, waste water etc. ) Solid waste management services (domestic, commercial, industrial, other hazardous waste) Public cleansing - cleaning of streets, open spaces, markets, beaches, drains etc. Public Health Education Landfill operations and management Monitoring the preparation, handling and sale of food Post mortem inspection of slaughtered animals (carcasses)

11 Components of Environmental Sanitation 2 S S S Hygiene and sanitation in slaughter houses and meat shops Ensuring medical examination of food handlers Food Hygiene Education Inspection of canned foods in the markets and shops Inspection of fish and fish products Inspection of markets and checking of unprotected foods

12 Components of Environmental Sanitation 3 S S Supervision of disinfections/disinfestations of infectious premises/rodent and insects Control of breeding places for mosquitoes, houseflies, rodents and other vermins To detect public health nuisances and take measures to abate them through education and enforcement of sanitary regulations House to house inspection (Domiciliary) Inspection of hospitality /industries, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, other eating houses and drinking bars etc.

13 Components of Environmental Sanitation 4 S S S S S Cleanliness at water points Water Storage Water quality analysis? ? Maintenance of public cemeteries/crematoria Disposal of infectious corpses during outbreaks Burial of puppers and unclaimed bodies Arrest stray animals Impound stray animals Disposal of unclaimed animals

14 Components of Environmental Sanitation 5 S S S S Inspection of imported food/ meat products Disinfection/ disinfestations Disease control (quarantining infected persons) Inoculation against yellow fever and Inspection of health cards (certificate of inoculation) General port sanitation (waste management, food hygiene) School Health Education Health Facility Sanitation

15 Environmental Health S “Environmental Health comprises those aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical, biological, social and psycho-social factors in the environment. It also refers to theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect adversely health of present and future generations"

16 Physical factors Biological factors Social factors Wastes (Solid & Liquid) Micro-organisms Culture Psychosocial factors Stressors Domiciliary waste Bacteria Relationships Homesickness Fungi/viruses Behaviour Psyche Parasites etc. Attitude etc. Industrial waste Health care and veterinary waste Waste water Other liquid wastes Water Chemicals Contaminated food Vibrations Noise, heat Radiation Accidents etc. Crowding Vectors etc. Insects Vermin Rodents Snails etc.

17 Objective of Environmental Health S The Environmental Health Officers and Assistants are there to promote and protect the health of the public from factors in the environment that are likely to be offensive or injurious to their health. S This is achieved by provision of the basic requirements for a healthy environment in collaboration with other stakeholders. S These basic requirements for a healthy environment include: Hygienic Environment Clean air, Safe and sufficient water, Adequate and safe food, Safe and peaceful settlements and A stable environment

18 Objective of Environmental Health…/2

19 Thank You