The National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, has said that it would collaborate with the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, EHCON, to address quackery in health related specialties.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Prof. Idris Bugaje said this during the National Curriculum review workshop, on Tuesday in Kaduna, organized for the development of Higher National Diploma curricula options in the health specialties.
The health specialties are: Environmental Health; Public Health, Epidemiology, Disease Control, Water Sanitation and Food Hygiene.
Represented by Cyril Idoemena, the Director, Finance and Account of the board, Bugaje said that such collaboration was imperative to address quackery in the health profession.
“These days you see a mechanic having a chemist shop or any other profession.
“It’s not proper and this is why we are on the curriculum review to meet the world standard,” he said.
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While commending EHCON for the exercise, Bugaje expressed optimism that the curriculum would meet the world standard, NBTE and the regulatory council.
The Registrar of the EHCON, Dr. Yakubu Baba, said the law empowered the council to regulate the practice in the specialties while the NBTE controls the educational aspect.
Baba, represented by his deputy, Dr. Isah Adamu, noted that the Council maintained long existing relations with the NBTE to enhance its operations.
“Over the years, environmental health officers have been generalists, where the contemporary world showed the need for skills set in specific areas in order to excel.
“The council sees the opportunity being provided by the NBTE is to create a platform for manpower skills development,” he said.
Baba enjoined health practitioners to upscale and up-skill their practice to meet the modern trends.
He also called for closer collaboration between the two agencies on manpower development to enhance disease prevention and control in the country.
