.launch initiative

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Government has 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.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr.Tokunbo Wahab made the remarks on Tuesday, when delegates from NCD, led by the Consultant on Needs Assessment, Prof Olatunji Kolawole paid 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.

Wahab said the government was 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.

Wahab 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 Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, to Lagos Waste Water Management Office, LASWMO as well as Lagos Waste Management Authourity, LAWMA.

Wahab, who stressed that since Lagos State has been selected as one of the five phase 2 pilot states for the important initiative, added, “the Ministry is ready and willing to collaborate with NCDC to evaluate site requirements and resources critical for establishing effective environmental surveillance operations in the state.”

Also, 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 the assessments effectively.

Also in attendance were the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, General Manager, LASEPA, Dr. Tunde Ajayi, General Manager, LASWMO, Engr Femi Afolabi and other Directors in the Ministry.