Lagos, NCDC collaborate on environmental surveillance programme
Photo caption: L-R; Director Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Lagos State Ministry to Health, Dr. Ismail Abdus-Salam; Consultant on Needs Assessment, Prof. Olatunji Kolawole; Hon. Commissioner for The Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab; Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite and General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Tunde Ajayi, during a Courtesy visit by the Nigeria Center for Desease Control and Prevention (NCDC) held on 17th of December, 2024, at the Lagos State Ministry of The Environment and Water Resources Conference Room, Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja.
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday 17 December 2024 expressed its readiness to support the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and prevention(NCDC) on the launch of the Environmental Surveillance Programme(ESPN) in the State.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr.Tokunbo Wahab made this known when delegates from NCDC led by the Consultant on Needs Assessment, Prof Olatunji Kolawole came on a courtesy visit to Ministry to inform that the State had been selected as a site for the surveillance initiative.
Wahab said the Health and Environment sector cannot be separated as such the multi- sectoral approach for the surveillance is a welcome development.
“I am glad we are having this collaboration at this level, interestingly for the THEME+ of this administration, the second leg of that pillar is called Health and Environment; So for those that are knowledgeable, you will all agree that you can never separate the effects of the Environment on the Health Sector” he said.
He said the government is willing to collaborate whenever the cause and effect of the Environment and Health is being discussed saying if the government fixes the basics in the environment ecosystem, it will definitely reduce the cost of the challenges that is being experienced in the health sector.
He said the programme aims to establish a robust Environmental Surveillance system across the State with the capacity to detect outbreak-prone pathogens, monitor endemic disease patterns, support clinical surveillance, inform vaccination strategies, and act as an early warning system for future outbreaks.
He said the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had in recent past worked assiduously with the Ministry of Health during the cholera outbreak to proffer a lasting solution adding that it is whatever the Environment is unable to fix that ultimately becomes a challenge in the health sector.
According to him, We welcome you to Lagos, as Lagos believes environment is the father of all; we need to fix whatever we have to fix with the collaboration of our Agencies which ranges from LASEPA, to LASWMO as well as LAWMA.
Wahab stressed that since Lagos State has been selected as one of the five phase 2 pilot states for this important initiative, the Ministry is ready and willing to collaborate with NCDC to evaluate site equirements and resources critical for establishing effective environmental surveillance operations in the state.
The Consultant on Needs Assessment, Prof. Olatunji Kolawole in his response expressed appreciation to the State for its cooperation saying it will greatly enhance the smooth implementation of the ESPN project’s objectives in Lagos State.
He added that the assessment consultant and their team will coordinate closely with relevant state officials to conduct these assessments effectively.
Also in attendance were the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) Dr. Tunde Ajayi, General Manager Lagos Waste Water Management Office(LASWMO) Engr Femi Afolabi and other Directors in the Ministry.
