By Dayo Johnson, Akure

A Professor of community medicine and public health at the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Ondo State, Wasiu Adebimpe, has asked communities to be involved in the prevention and control of diseases.

Prof Adebimpe noted that the major role of community participation in disease control was to strengthen disease surveillance through any means and respond to gaps and recommendations emanating from studies.

He said this while delivering the university’s fourth inaugural lecture entitled, ‘Epidemiological triad or tetrad of diseases: the community makes the difference’

According to him, the epidemiological triangle of diseases causation recognises the importance of the agent, host and the environment.

He added that “as diseases break out among the host, its survival is determined by how favourable the environment is.

” Though the efforts of other stakeholders and their impacts are recognised, the local host community has a lot to do in disease control and prevention.

“If the primary community does nothing, and without creating awareness and filling recognized gaps, then the microbes could adapt and change their status from infectivity to pathogenicity and virulence.

” The efforts of the local community are, thus, a determinant of the occurrence of an epidemic or otherwise.

“They are also the basis of a communal preparedness for epidemic control. The rhythm, thus, becomes completed as an epidemic rectangle.

” It is therefore obvious that the community action matters, whether it is an epidemic triangle or rectangle, if we are to link disease to prevention.”

” The major role of community participation in disease control is to strengthen disease surveillance through any means and respond to gaps and recommendations emanating from studies.

“The importance of community participation and the different engagement models assisted Nigeria in AFP surveillance for poliomyelitis.

“The HIV and COVID 19 pandemic would have caused more damage if communities had not responded to prevention strategies and changed some of their behaviours.

“Studies in disease prevention indicate that probably the most important factor in reducing the transmission of diseases is hygiene improvement, resulting from a change in behaviour. “

He said that ” changing human behaviour should be to everyone and existing behaviours, attitudes concerning disease prevention should be identified by stakeholders in healthcare, including community members themselves, the health workers and employees.