CIEH North West Region – Zambia Institute of Environmental Health

Posted on 12. Feb, 2010 by Erin in Health Links

About the Link

A partnership (formal twinning arrangement) between ZIEH and CIEH North West Centre has been in place since 2002. The aim is to:

  • Realise mutual benefits for the members of both associations.
  • Share and expand knowledge and experiences in a professional context.
  • Make a significant and continuing contribution to improving the understanding of worldwide environmental health.

This arrangement has resulted in:

  1. Financial and developmental support for ZIEH to join the International Federation of Environmental Health.
  2. Members of the CIEH region visiting Zambia, at their own expense, to advance relations and to develop and strengthen the bond between our two organisations.   This work has been limited as visits have focused on other aid work providing less time to take forward ZIEH and support for the profession.
  3. Development of a degree course at University of Zambia (UNZA) through amendments to the curriculum, other support and donations of technical equipment and literature. 
  4. Provision of the UK weekly and monthly professional magazines to the 12 ZIEH regional offices in Zambia.
  5. Two 3 month Commonwealth Fellowships from Zambian EHOs, in 2007 and 2008.

Fields of work

HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB, Management / Human Resources, Maternal and Child Health, Primary Health Care, Research, Respiratory Health, Tropical diseases

Current activities

The partners have just been awarded an International Health Links Funding Scheme grant to improve post qualification and in service training of Environmental Health Officers and Environmental Health Technicians and Assistants to better deliver basic public health services to the most deprived communities in Zambia.

This will lead to:

  1. Increased numbers of graduate equivalent practitioners with greater skills, knowledge and practice to address public health issues.
  2. Provide in-service Continual Professional Development (CPD)/E training to plug identified skills/knowledge gaps with the Environmental health cadre.
  3. Greater awareness of the role of Environment Health Practice for good health and examples of good practice disseminated.

This will be achieved through:

  1. Needs Assessment for CPD training for Environmental Health staff and the identification of other required support.
  2. Programme of formalised practice-based learning to teach EHTs graduate level skills, knowledge and learning.
  3. Provision of training for practitioners in Health Impact Assessment, CIEH Train the Trainer training to enable practitioners to pass on knowledge to communities, and  CPD in best practice in the region on vector control, health promotion etc.
  4. Development of electronic communication systems to identify, document and disseminate best practice.

Link requests

Reference books and equipment (computers, lab equipment, etc) for the Environmental Health degree course and for Environmental Health staff working in the field.

Contact information

UK
North West Region, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
Natasha Franklin – International Chair NW Region CIEH

Email: natfranklin99@yahoo.com

Zambia
Zambian Institute of Environmental Health
Allan Rabson,ZIEH President

Email: rabmbewe@yahoo.co.uk