The Lagos State Government on Tuesday 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 the Ministry to inform that the State had been selected as a site for the surveillance initiative.
Wahab said the Health and Environment sectors cannot be separated as such the multi-sectoral approach to surveillance is a welcome development. “I am glad we are having this collaboration at this level, interestingly for the THEMES Plus Agenda 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 environmental ecosystem, it will definitely reduce the cost of the challenges that are 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 the 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 the 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 II pilot States for this important initiative, 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.
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.
