Pulse.ng : NBTE, EHCON partners to address quackery in health related specialities

By Sani Idris

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), in collaboration with the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), have restated their committment in addressing issues of quackery in health related specialities.

This committment, saw the development of Higher National Diploma (HND) curricular options in some health specialities.

Declaring open the National curriculum pre-critique and critique workshop for the development of Higher National Diploma (HND) curricula options in the health specialities, the Executive Secretary (ES) of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, stressed that health care is a concern of everybody.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the health specialties were environmental health (8 options), Public health (3 options), epdemeology and disease control (3 options) and water sanitation and food hygiene (2 options)

Bugaje, represented by the the Board's Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), Mr Cyril Odoemena, said the were trying to in collaboration with the EHCON to at least address the issues of having quack doctors and health personnel.

"This days you see a mechanic having a chemist shop, or any other profession. It is not proper and this is why we are on the curriculum review inorder to meet the world standard,"he said.

He expressed optimism that the curriculum would meet the world standard and that of the NBTE and the regulatory Council.

He thanked the Environmental Health Council for sponsoring the program, adding that it was not easy especially at a time of economic unease.

Also, the Registrar of EHCON, Dr. Yakubu Baba, said being a regulatory body, the council only knows how to regulate the practice in the specialities.

Baba, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Isah Adamu, stated that for the NBTE, the law stipulate they control the educational aspect of the practice, where the EHCON has collaborated with them for about 25 years.

He said over the years, environmental health officers had been generalists, where the contemporary world showed the need for skills set in specific areas in order to excel.

He equally said the opportunity the council see being provided by the NBTE was to create a platform for manpower skills development.

Baba urged health practitioners to in line with the 21st century, upscale and up-skill thier practice to be in tune with modern trends.

He thanked the NBTE while urging for continuity in their collaboration for the sake of development in the needed manpower in environmental health for prevention of diseases and ailments in the country.(NAN)