DOH PROGRAM

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SANITATION PROGRAM

Environmental Health


It is concerned with preventing illness through managing the environment and by changing people's behavior to reduce exposure to biological and non-biological agents of disease and injury. It is concerned primarily with effects of the environment to the health of the people. DOH thru Environmental Health Services (EHS) unit is authorized to act on all issues and concerns in environment and health including the very comprehensive Sanitation Code of the Philippines (PD 856, 1978).

Program strategies and activities



Focused on environmental sanitation, environmental health impact assessment and occupational health through interagency collaboration. An Inter-Agency COmmittee on Environmental Health was created by virute of E.O. 489 to facilitate and improve coordination among concerned agencies. It provides the venue for technical collaboration, effective monitoring and communication, resource mobilization, policy review and development. The Committee has five sectoral task forces on water, solid waste, air, toxic and chemical substances and occupational health.

Vision  Health Settings for All Filipinos Mission  Provide leadership in ensuring health settings Goal  Reduction of environmental and occupational related diseases, disabilities and deaths through health promotion and mitigation of hazards and risks in the environment and work places.

Environmental and Sanitation



It is the prevention and control of diseases by eliminating or controlling the environmental factors which may form links in disease transmission. It is the study of all factors in mans physical environment which may exercise a deleterious effect on health, well-being and survival.

Importance of Environmental Sanitation

It promotes health  It prevents disease transmission  It eliminates breeding places of insects and rodents that may be carrier of disease  It improves the quality of life


Components of Environmental Sanitation

       

Water Supply Sanitation Solid Waste Management Food Sanitation Insect and Vermin Control Excreta and Sewage Disposal Housing and Public Places Sanitation Environmental Protection Hospital Waste Management

Water Supply Sanitation

Approved type of water facilities Level 1 (Point Source)


 

a protected well or a developed spring with an outlet but without a distribution system indicated for rural areas serves 15-25 households; its outreach is not more than 250 m from the farthest user yields 40-140 L/ min

Level II (Communal Faucet or Stand Posts)



With a source, reservoir, piped distribution network and communal faucets Located at not more than 25 m from the farthest house Delivers 40-80 L of water per capital per day to an average of 100 households Fit for rural areas where houses are densely clustered

Level III (Individual House Connections or Waterworks System)



 

With a source, reservoir, piped distributor network and household taps Fit for densely populated urban communities Requires minimum treatment or disinfection

Proper Excreta and Sewage Disposal

Level I  Non-water carriage toilet facility no water necessary to wash the waste into receiving space e.g. pit latrines, reed odorless earth closet.  Toilet facilities requiring small amount of water to wash the waste into the receiving space e.g. pour flush toilet & aqua privies Level II  On site toilet facilities of the water carriage type with water-sealed and flush type with septic vault/tank disposal. Level III  Water carriage types of toilet facilities connected to septic tanks and/or to sewerage system to treatment plant.

Food Sanitation Program



  

sets policy and practical programs to prevent and control foodborne diseases to alleviate the living conditions of the population Inspection/approval of all food sources, containers and transport vehicles Compliance to sanitary permit requirements for all food establishments Provision of updated health certificate for food handlers Destruction or banning of food unit for human consumption Training of food handlers and operators on food sanitation

Hospital Waste Management Program

Disposal of infectious, pathological and other wastes from hospital which combine them with the municipal or domestic wastes pose health hazards to the people.  Hospitals shall dispose their hazardous wastes thru incinerators or disinfectants to prevent transmission of nosocomial diseases


Program on Health Risk Minimization due to Environmental Pollution



 

Prevention of serious environmental hazards resulting from urban growth and industrialization Policies on health protection measures Researches on effects of GLOBAL WARMING to health (depletion of the stratosphere ozone layer which increases ultraviolet radiation, climate change and other conditions)

Nursing Responsibilities and Activities

 

 

Health Education IEC by conducting community assemblies and bench conferences. The Occupational Health Nurse, School Health Nurse and other Nursing staff shall impart the need for an effective and efficient environmental sanitation in their places of work and in school. Actively participate in the training component of the service like in Food Handlers Class, and attend training/workshops related to environmental health. Assist in the deworming activities for the school children and targeted groups. Effectively and efficiently coordinate programs/projects/activities with other government and non-government agencies.

Act as an advocate or facilitator to families in the community in matters of program/projects/activities on environmental health in coordination with other members of Rural Health Unit (RHU) especially the Rural Sanitary Inspectors. Actively participate in environmental sanitation campaigns and projects in the community. Ex. Sanitary toilet campaign drive for proper garbage disposal, beautification of home garden, parks drainage and other projects. Be a role model for others in the community to emulate terms of cleanliness in the home and surrounding.

10 Facts on Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environment

1. Worldwide,

13 million deaths could be prevented every year by making our environments healthier.

2. In children

under the age of five, one third of all disease is caused by the environmental factors such as unsafe water and air pollution.

3. Every year, the

lives of four million children under 5 years mostly in developing countries could be saved by preventing environmental risks such as unsafe water and polluted air.

4. In developing

countries, the main environmentally caused diseases are diarrhoeal disease, lower respiratory infections, unintentional injuries, and malaria.

5. Better environmental

management could prevent 40% of deaths from malaria, 41% of deaths from lower respiratory infections, and 94% of deaths from diarrhoeal disease three of the world's biggest childhood killers.

6. In the least developed countries, one third of death and disease is a direct result of environmental causes.

7. In developed countries, healthier environments could significantly reduce the incidence of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, lower respiratory infections, musculoskeletal diseases, road traffic injuries, poisonings, and drownings.

8. Environmental factors influence 85 out of the 102 categories of diseases and injuries listed in The world health report.

9. Much of this death, illness and disability could be prevented through well targeted interventions such as promoting safe household water storage, better hygiene measures and the use of cleaner and safer fuels.

10. Other interventions that can make environments healthier include: increasing the safety of buildings; promoting safe, careful use and management of toxic substances at home and in the workplace; and better water resource management.

Reference:  Republic of the Philippines Department of health http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/349  World health Organization http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/environme ntal_health/en/index.html

THE END
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