The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board (RSPHCMB) has called for stronger environmental health activities at the local government level to promote healthier communities and sustain preventive health practices.
Director, Environmental and Occupational Health Services Department, RSPHCMB, Dr Temple Akagbue, made the call while representing the Executive Secretary, Dr Chituru Adele, at activities marking the 2026 World Environmental Health Day on Sept. 26 at the Board’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Akagbue said stronger community-level outreaches would enable environmental health officers to identify practices that could pose health risks, educate residents and provide appropriate guidance.
He cited informal soap production in residential areas as an example of an activity that could pose health risks when carried out without proper training and safety measures.
“Strengthening community-level environmental health activities would contribute to disease prevention and support primary health-care service delivery,” he said.
Speaking on the theme, “Inspired by Nature: For the Climate, For Our Future,” Dr Abereton Pearl, Head, Learning and Professional Development Unit, Department of Medical Services, RSPHCMB, highlighted the impact of climate change on primary health-care facilities and communities.
Pearl called for collective action to strengthen the resilience of health facilities, noting that disruptions could affect access to care.
She stressed the need for assessments covering the protection of health infrastructure, essential medicines and commodities, as well as WASH services, from flooding and other extreme weather events.
“Our facilities must remain open and functional when the flood arrives, and should also remain functional, become better or even transform after the flood,” she said.
Pearl also urged health facilities to adopt proactive rather than reactive measures, stressing that reliable data was essential for helping policymakers make informed decisions.
