Investing in health is investing in the wealth of the populace. Around the globe, there is increasing number of strange disease and some of these are spread through our environment. Thus it is important for health officials to monitor our environment to some of those pathogens spread through the environment.
Though, The Gambia just like most African countries are experiencing budget constraints amid the cutting of USAID is by far one of the largest contributors in promoting health initiatives in most developing countries.
However, environmental surveillance is crucial as its focuses on monitoring public health threats, particularly polio and other pathogens in our water bodies and to supplement clinical surveillance and inform public health actions.
We must acknowledge that majority of these viruses are transmitted through contamination with water bodies in our surrounding. Thus, it is important we always keep our surrounding clean.
The manner in which some litter our environment leaves much to desired. And this to some extent including our water bodies later becomes a fertile ground for all types of pathogens.
Thus, sound environmental management is key in promoting our own health. And though environmental surveillance health officials are able to make informed-decision on the types and amount of pathogens within our surrounding.
The Ministry of Health with support from WHO-Gambia Country Office on Wednesday began a three-day intensive capacity building training for stakeholders on environmental health surveillance.
The training was part of initiatives designed to strengthen the country’s surveillance capability as part of the global polio eradication initiative.
It is important to state here that The Gambia has made considerable gains in the eradication of polio. And this to a large extent is anchored on the country’s stringent and effective in the area of environmental surveillance.
In the past, the country has successfully implemented supplementary immunization campaigns, covering a significant percentages of the population to curb potential outbreaks.
We want to thank the Ministry and WHO Country office for partnering on these worthy initiatives.
The move will not only strengthen health services but would also help communities from fatal viruses spread through our environment.
Also, the Ministry should continue its advocacy in building more capacity for the health staff especially in some critical areas. The importance of environmental surveillance cannot be overemphasized.
It helps track disease spread, assess community health, and identify environmental issues like pollution, supporting efforts to meet public health goals through a One Health approach.