By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The National Consultant, Public Health and Environment, WHO Nigeria, Dr Edwin Isotu-Edeh, has stated that availability of data would enable the country track progresses made in promoting environmental health.
Dr. Isotu-Edeh made this known at a one-day meeting in Abuja on Friday.
The Consultant said the meeting was critical as digitising environmental health data was of public health importance.
He said that an estimated 12.6 million deaths annually were attributed to unhealthy environment with over 100 deaths and injuries linked to environmental risk factors.
He said that every Nigerian deserved to live in a healthy and clean environment, saying “this is key to achieving universal health coverage’’.
Isotu-Edeh said that, in the last World Health Assembly, air pollution and climate change was considered the number one of the 10 threats to global health in 2019.
“Environmental Health work focuses on addressing root causes of diseases in three strategic dimensions to promote healthier environment, prevention of diseases and influence public policies to address environmental sanitation to health.
“Investment in effective environmental surveillance system covering WASH and in air quality monitoring and policy implementation is crucial for achieving universal health coverage and environmental sustainability,’’ he said.