On the occasion of the 2026 World Environmental Health Day, the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Lagos State Branch, joins environmental health professionals across the world to reaffirm our commitment to protecting human health through a safe, clean, resilient and sustainable environment.
The theme for this year “Environmental Health: Standing with Science to Protect Communities” is both timely and instructive. The International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) has designated 26 September 2026 for this global observance. For us in Lagos, the theme is not merely a slogan. It is a call to action.
Lagos is a rapidly growing megacity whose environmental challenges are inseparable from the health and wellbeing of its people. Issues of solid waste management, sanitation, food and water safety, flooding, wastewater disposal, environmental pollution, vector control, building and premises hygiene, market sanitation and other environmental hazards require continuous professional attention and evidence-based intervention.
Environmental health is fundamentally about prevention. We cannot wait for disease outbreaks, flooding, pollution incidents or environmental disasters before we act. We must use science, surveillance, professional inspection, risk assessment, environmental monitoring, public education and evidence-based enforcement to identify hazards before they become threats to life.
Recent environmental-health initiatives in Lagos demonstrate the importance of this approach. The State Government has continued to strengthen environmental sanitation and waste-management culture, while campaigns have addressed cholera prevention, safe water, food hygiene and responsible waste management. The State has also continued efforts towards more sustainable waste management, including its transition towards a circular economy and initiatives designed to reduce dependence on landfills. These efforts deserve recognition.
On behalf of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Branch, I sincerely appreciate the Lagos State Government for its continued investment, policies, programmes and interventions aimed at making Lagos cleaner, safer, healthier and more environmentally sustainable. We recognise the work being undertaken through the relevant ministries, departments and agencies in the areas of waste management, environmental sanitation, wastewater management, pollution control, drainage, environmental enforcement and public health protection. Building a healthy Lagos is not the responsibility of government alone. It requires a partnership between government, environmental health professionals, communities, businesses, traditional institutions, civil society and every individual resident. We therefore commend the Lagos State Government for its efforts and encourage continued investment in environmental health infrastructure, professional manpower, modern equipment, research, technology, environmental surveillance and capacity development.
As we celebrate World Environmental Health Day, I urge every Lagosian to understand that environmental health begins with individual responsibility. Do not wait for government before keeping your surroundings clean. Do not dump refuse into drains. Do not discharge untreated wastewater indiscriminately. Do not patronise food businesses that operate under unsafe hygienic conditions. Do not drink unsafe water. Do not allow stagnant water to remain around your homes and businesses. Keep toilets and sewage systems properly maintained. Protect food from contamination. Dispose of refuse through approved channels. Maintain hygienic homes, shops, schools, markets and workplaces. Report environmental nuisances and hazards to the appropriate authorities. Most importantly, let us stop treating environmental sanitation as an occasional government exercise and begin to embrace it as a daily culture. A clean environment is not merely beautiful. It is disease prevention. It is public health protection. It is community protection. It is life protection.
Dearest Lagos Sanitation, OUR FRONTLINE COMBATANTS , today, I must specially recognise and salute you. You are the professionals who stand between environmental hazards and the communities we serve.
You inspect.
You investigate.
You educate.
You enforce.
You monitor.
You respond to complaints.
You investigate outbreaks and environmental nuisances.
You protect food and water safety.
You fight vectors and environmental hazards.
You enter places others may avoid.
You work in the early hours, during the day and late into the night.
You work on the scene and off the scene. You work when the public is watching and, more importantly, when nobody is watching.
Your contribution to public health may sometimes be invisible because the greatest success of environmental health is often a disaster that never happened, an outbreak that never occurred and a disease that was prevented before it reached the community. You are therefore not merely government workers. You are environmental health professionals. You are public health protectors. You are frontline combatants in the battle for healthier communities. I commend every member of EHOAN Lagos who continues to uphold the values, ethics, professionalism and dignity of our noble profession despite the enormous challenges associated with the job.
As your President and Servant Leader, I want every member of EHOAN Lagos to know that your welfare, professional dignity, legitimate interests and rights remain matters of serious importance to this leadership. I will continue to protect the interest of our members. I will continue to speak for our profession. I will continue to advocate for the recognition, dignity and welfare of Environmental Health Officers. And where the legitimate rights of our members require defence, EHOAN Lagos under my leadership will not be silent. But while we demand our rights, we must also remain conscious of our responsibilities. I therefore call on every Environmental Health Officer in Lagos State to become even more dedicated, disciplined, professional and courageous. Let us return to the fundamentals of environmental health.
Let us strengthen premises inspection.
Let us intensify environmental sanitation.
Let us improve our documentation and evidence-based practice.
Let us embrace technology and scientific innovation.
Let us educate before we enforce where appropriate, but enforce the law professionally and without fear or favour where necessary.
Let us protect the image of our profession through our conduct.
Let every EHO become an ambassador of environmental health.
The environmental challenges confronting Lagos may be enormous, but they are not insurmountable. With government commitment, professional competence, scientific evidence, community participation and responsible citizenship, we can build a Lagos where environmental health is not an afterthought but a permanent pillar of development.
On this World Environmental Health Day 2026, EHOAN Lagos stands firmly with science. We stand with evidence. We stand with prevention. We stand with professionalism. We stand with our communities. And we stand for a healthier, cleaner, safer and more sustainable Lagos State.
Let us keep serving, keep protecting, keep educating and keep making a difference. Your work matters. Your profession matters. The health of Lagos depends, in no small measure, on the work we do every day.
Happy World Environmental Health Day 2026.
San. Dr. Akinyele Cyril Babasope
President, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) Lagos Chapter.
“The Servant Leader”
