Ministry of Local Government Rural Development Environmental Health

Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development Environmental Health & Sanitation Directorate REPUBLIC OF GHANA WASH STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP HUMAN RESOURCES GAPS STUDY IN THE WASH SECTOR 28 TH JUNE, 2012 ERATA HOTEL, ACCRA

OUTLINE n n n n Introduction Basic Training (SOH) Staff & Student Population Post Basic Training Current Staff Strength In-service Training (Workshops, Seminars) Challenges Way Forward

TRAINING INSTITUTIONS n n n 3 SOH – Accra, Ho & Tamale To train EHO/As to perform duties relating to Environmental Health in MMDAs and for Private sector. Understand basic principles of sanitation and apply them in their routine work. Detect nuisances and call for abatement Educate communities and promote health

BASIC TRAINING (CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA) Technical skills n supervise the collection and disposal of wastes (solid, liquid industrial, clinical and other hazardous wastes) n supervise the construction, operation and maintenance of simple sanitation facilities n Analyse public health consequence of various human activities to ensure sound judgement during inspection n identify unwholesome food and meat and the requirements for achieving food and meat hygiene n give expert advice on environmental health and management issues in MMDAs

BASIC TRAINING (CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA) Social Marketing and Community Mobilisation Skills n effectively mobilise communities to fully participate environmental sanitation development projects n ensure the effectiveness of environmental sanitation education programmes in bringing about behavioural change Analytical and Logical Thinking Skills n appreciate the relevance of environmental and public health legislation and enforcement n interpret and apply environmental legislation

BASIC TRAINING (CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA) Planning and Budgeting skills n ensure proper planning of environmental services within the limits of available funds Administrative and Managerial skills n maintain an efficient management information system n organise available human and other resources to pursue plans Effective Communication and Lobbying Skills n defend Action Plans and demand appropriate funds for environmental health and management services; n manage and penetrate political influence and interference to achieve results

STAFFING (Schools) CATEGORY NO. AT POST NO. NEEDED GAP ACCRA (1953) 14 (8) 14 - HO (1975) 10 (9) 11 1 10 (2/8) 15 5 TAMALE (1952/1964)

STUDENT POPULATION SCHOOL 1 ST YEAR 2 ND YEAR 3 RD YEAR TOTAL ACCRA 16 41 34 91 HO 93 91 - 184 TAMALE 100 120 - 220 TOTAL 209 242 34 495

POST BASIC TRAINING n n n 70’s few higher courses for Environmental Health Officers in Ghana. Food and Meat Hygiene (Great Britain) - 4 Tutors course in Ibadan university (Nigeria) - 10 Community Health and Tropical Medicine – (Sierra Leone) Those who managed to gain admission to other universities outside the country had problems with sponsorship.

POST BASIC TRAINING n n n 1985 with the support of the WHO in collaboration with the Mo. H and KNUST, the Environmental Health Technology (Diploma) course was introduced. Unfortunately, When the WHO withdrew their sponsorship in 1995 the programme ‘died’ out. This programme was to train middle level Officers to bridge the gap between the Public Health Engineer and the Environmental Health Officer.

POST BASIC TRAINING n n Due to the inadequacy of Public Health Engineers the Environmental Health Technologist was to head the Waste Management Departments (Environmental Sanitation Policy). 1989 - UCC introduced the Health Science Education (Diploma) programme (in place of the Ibadan programme) to train tutors for the Schools of Hygiene locally. Those who had the EHT from KNUST offered the one year PGCE (Health Science). Currently, the BEd. Health Science Education is in progress.

UG BSc. Public Health BSc. Environmental Science BSc. Nutrition MSc. Public Health MSc. Environmental Science

UCC Water & Sanitation (Diploma/Degree) BEd. Health Sciences BSc/Mphil Environmental Science MA Environmental Management & Policy

KNUST BSc. / MSc. /MPhil Environmental Science MSc. Health Promotion

UDS BSc. Nutrition BSc. Environmental Science & Biology MSc. Community Health & Development

UEW (Mampong Campus) Environmental Health & Sanitation Education Sandwich/Full Time Diploma/Degree

PUC (Akropong Campus) Environment & Natural Resource Management

Catholic University College BSc. Public Health Full Time/Weekend

ILGS Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management (8 Modules) MA Environmental Science & Policy (Weekend)

GIMPA Post Graduate CUM Occupational Health & Safety – Certificate, Diploma and Post Diploma

STAFF SITUATION CATEGORY Public Health Engineers Environmental Health Technologists Environmental Health Officers TOTAL 6 53 510 Environmental Health Assistants 2, 553 TOTAL 3, 122

INSERVICE TRAINING (WORKSHOPS/SEMINARS) n n n n Environmental Health Inspections Health Promotion Environmental Health Prosecutions Management of Landfills in Ghana Management of Veterinary and Bio-medical waste Provision, Operation and Maintenance of Public Toilets Monitoring of Environmental Sanitation Services in Ghana

Tailor Made Courses n n n n EHO - jack of all trade and master of none Post Basic training should address competency gaps and specialisation identified in the Environmental Sanitation Policy Solid Waste Management including Hazardous Waste Municipal Wastewater Management Environmental Sanitation Education (Classroom/Community education) Public Health Law Food Hygiene/Meat Inspection

Tailor Made Courses n n n Rodent and Vector Control International Health/Port Health Disaster Management Industrial Hygiene Occupational Health Monitoring & Evaluation

Challenges n The key challenge in the area of capacity development (human resource) relate to inadequate professional manpower (engineers, planners and administrators, for planning, management, policy formulation and research) REVIEW OF SCHEME OF SERVICE n Attract talents into the Environmental Health and Sanitation Class

RECRUITMENT/SALARY n n n Engineers - forty (40) Environmental Health Officers – 81 Environmental Health Assistants - 706 Waiting for financial clearance to commence the recruitment and posting process. Salaries lower than other health counterparts

THE WAY FORWARD WAHO n Harmonising curricular of environmental health within the ECOWAS community both Francophone and Anglophone. n Upgrade Schools of Hygiene to tertiary institutions to offer BSc. and HND in Environmental Health n Admission requirements of SOH reviewed

THE WAY FORWARD n n The Allied Health Science Professional bill in which Env. Health is included is at the draft stage. Establishment of West African College of Allied Health Science.

Thank You for Listening