By Vivian Emoni
Abuja – The Society for Environmental and Public Health Nigeria (SEPHON), has called on relevant stakeholders in the environmental health sector to collaborate for effective health care delivery in the country.
The President of the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Prof. Agwu Amadi, made the call at its maiden international congress on Tuesday in Abuja.
The theme of the congress tagged: “Preventive Health Care in Nigeria, Everyone, Everywhere Leaving Nobody Behind’’.
Amadi said that people were demoralised due to poor health care delivery in the country.
According to him, the collaboration of professionals, medical doctors at all levels, pharmacists, nurses, environmental health officers among others are very paramount in the country.
“We should reason together on how we can work it out to close the gap among the professionals.
“The expectation of Nigerians is going down because of poor delivery of our preventive health. The health care delivery is no longer as standard as it ought to be.
“Therefore, I am calling on all the health care practitioners to come together, work together in agreement and bring out the best in the sector.
“The collaboration of these bodies will enable a healthy and sound health care delivery in our society.
“I am also calling on other individuals to join the sector by ensuring that our environment as well as our health is in good condition.
“Nobody should be left out, everybody has a role to play in preventing health care and that is the aim of our gathering today,’’ he said.
The Vice Chancellor of National Open University, NOUN, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, said that the university and the SEPHON were collaborating for effective healthy living.
Adamu said that the university endorsed over 50 environmental health professionals, adding that the school also trained and developed health care manpower in the country.
He also said that the university had extended its portal to second week of August, to enable more students to register into the 2019/2020 academic section.
“The University initially wanted to close the registration of 2019/2020 academic section, but we want to consider as many who want to enroll, to come and register.
“We want to encourage our people to register because we want to give opportunity to as many people who want to further their education,” he said.
Dr Andy Ukah, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, called on government at all levels to encourage the participants of all health professionals and sub-professionals to achieve the programmes.
Ukah said that the programmes were aimed at bringing preventive health care to the door steps of Nigerians.
(NAN)