WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Environmental Health is an art and science of elimination of those factors or materials in man’s physical environment which have the potential of posing danger to man’s health and the environment. Environmental Health attempts to reconcile man’s health and environmental interactions. Environmental Health includes measures put in place to eliminate health hazards, create health awareness, protect of water sources from contamination, and prevent the spread of diseases by ensuring a clean and health environment, etc. The central philosophy of environmental health is disease prevention. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health.1 COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH The components of Environmental Health include but not restricted to the following: • Air Quality Monitoring • Environmental Health Information Management • Epidemiology and Control of Infectious diseases • Food Hygiene and Safety • Health Education and Promotion • Housing Sanitation • Housing Sanitation • Noise Pollution Control • Occupational Health and Safety • Pest and Vector Control • Sewage Disposal • Water Sanitation 1. WHO (2013): Environmental health, http://www.who.int/topics/environmental_health/en/