Faith Atai and Poleen Kyakunzire
Bachelor of Environmental Health Science Students
Makerere University – School Of Public Health
More than 300 people from different Including students, Environmental and Public Health Practitioners, academicians, policy makers and the general public attended and presented their research at the 15th Makerere University Environmental Health Students’ Association (MUEHSA) Scientific annual Conference on the theme “Environmental Health: Building Resilient Communities And Contributing To the Sustainable Development Goals”. The Conference provided a platform for sharing various research works on several sub-themes including: pollution (air, water and soil); food security and safety; one health; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); environmental disasters; community health; trauma, injury and disability; technology and innovations in health. Makerere University Environmental Health Students’ Association (MUEHSA) has held this event for the last fifteen years on an annual basis.
The presentations emphasized the aspect of building resilience through sustainable disease detection and prevention approaches and innovative capacity building for households and communities; to take early actions.
The following recommendations were drawn from the conference discussions:
1. The government through the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology should promote innovative solutions that will solve environmental health problems. In addition, in order to achieve their particular objectives, these ministries need to offer a conducive working environment like favorable policies and seed funding.
2. Researchers need to provide adequate and evidence based data to policy makers in order for them to back up policy formulation and changes so that they are made from an informed point of view while addressing the rising health problems in our country.
3. Universities should promote student research and the findings should be shared with various stakeholders to ensure implementation.
4. The government and other implementing bodies need to strictly enforce the existing guidelines for use of pesticides. In addition, government should improve these guidelines in order to reduce the dosages ingested by consumers that tend to accumulate with time leading to adverse effects on health. This could also be improved by effective and efficient mass education of the public so that basic practices like washing of raw foods especially fruits are adopted.
Interesting to see pollution as one of the issues that were discussed in the 15th MUEHSA conference. Its currently the largest environmental cause of disease and premature deaths. According to the Lancet commission on pollution and health, pollution was responsible for an estimated 9 million premature death in 2015 (16% of all deaths world wide), which is 3 times more deaths than from AIDs, Tuberculosis and malaria combined. Interestingly, majority of the deaths occur in Low and Middle Income Countries especially those due to air and water pollution. However, chemical pollution is also a growing global problem.
I hope to see more and discussions on pollution at the 3rd IFEH academic and 16th MUEHSA scientific Conference.
wow,what an opportunity it was, I am eagerly waiting for next year’s conference!!!
The 15th MUEHSA Scientific Conference was indeed a great success. We can’t wait to host the world in Kampala during the 16th MUEHSA conference in 2019 which will also be the 3rd International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) Academic Conference.
Well done MUEHSA, I already see the impacts of 15th Conference. When Under graduate students are required to upload their research findings online with effect from next Academic year. We are on right path to improve research as recommendation No.3 reads.
The 16th Conference is yet another yard stick and we should promise the best for all our guest come April 2019.
The Contribution of MUEHSA to students and the entire Environmental Health Spectrum is immense. If everyone had atleast a chance to participate in MUEHSA conference, this world would be a better place!
The conferences are always well organized, focused to major partnent health concerns.
To me the spirit of Environmental Health goes deeper on a mention of MUEHSA.
Long live MUEHSA!