PREVENTIVE AND SANITATION UNIT

Mrs. Rabi Mohammad

Head of Health Unit.

Was employed on March 14, 2014, as an Environmental Health Officer in the University Health Service at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Positions Held

In April 2014, I became the Senior Environmental Health Officer responsible for waste management in both residential and academic areas. From 2015 to 2016, I served as the Senior Environmental Health Officer, overseeing casual staff and the administrative environment at the University Medical Centre. I conducted daily health talks for staff and students to promote preventive measures for a healthy lifestyle and environment.

Between 2017 and 2018, I was the Environmental Health Officer in charge of the Senate building and its surroundings, ensuring a clean, healthy, and green environment. From 2019 to 2021, I served as the Assistant Principal Environmental Health Officer, focusing on food hygiene inspections, medical examinations for food handlers, hostel inspections, and fumigation. In 2022, I was responsible for maintaining a healthy environment for all staff on the school’s main campus and its annexes. Additionally, I was posted to the Agricultural Complex to oversee casual staff and environmental conditions. As of 2023, I have been reinstated as the Principal Environmental Health Officer and Head of the Unit.

Introduction

The Preventive and Sanitation Unit has been in operation since the establishment of University Health Services (or Medical Health Service) in 1962. It provides comprehensive healthcare services to students, staff, and the surrounding community, promoting well-being and supporting the educational mission of all sectors. Over the years, as responsibilities increased, certain branches were created to improve service delivery, including Phase II Preventive and Sanitation, Kongo, IAR, and Napri.

Vision

Our vision is to be a world-class provider of healthcare services, offering preventive measures and a sanitary environment for a healthy, clean, and green community that meets the needs of staff, students, and the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) community. This vision includes utilizing high-quality working equipment and modern approaches to enhance the health status of our community.

Function

The Preventive and Sanitation Unit is a vital sub-unit of University Health Services, responsible for delivering a range of services to ensure a healthy environment, particularly in the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR).

1. We conduct food safety and hygiene inspections for eateries in the IAR.

2. We implement disease prevention and control measures, promote health education, and raise awareness about health issues to encourage healthy behaviors among students and staff in IAR. Our preventive activities include environmental sanitation, immunization, afforestation, food hygiene inspections, landscaping, fumigation, enforcement of food handler regulations, and waste management in residential and academic areas.

3. The IAR branch provides immunizations to staff and students.

4. We ensure environmental sanitation through landscaping, waste evacuation, and cleaning public restrooms in IAR.

Mission

Our mission is to provide comprehensive healthcare services to students, staff, and the surrounding community, promoting well-being and supporting the University’s educational mission by fostering a healthy environment and healthy individuals. Our specific mission includes:

v Providing quality healthcare through a good sanitary environment in IAR.

v Instilling health awareness through preventive measures to control the spread of disease.

v Supporting students’ success by addressing their health-related needs through health talks conducted by the Preventive and Sanitation Unit in IAR.

Justification

v To ensure a healthy environment in the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) and across the University community.

v To promote health education among staff and students in IAR.

v To provide healthcare, preventive measures, and a sanitary environment for a clean and green IAR.

Activities

1. Conducting health talks on maintaining a sanitary environment to prevent disease spread.

2. Sweeping, cleaning, and caring for the environment in the Agricultural Complex.

3. Mowing grass to maintain the beauty of the surroundings.

4. Removing refuse from all areas of the Agricultural Complex and IAR.

5. Clearing soak ways as needed.

6. Conducting food hygiene inspections and medical examinations for food handlers.

7. Cleaning drainage systems.

8. Fumigating areas when necessary

Function:

The Preventive and Sanitation Unit is a sub-unit of the University Health Services responsible for providing a range of services to ensure a healthy environment at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR). The unit focuses on the following areas:

1. Food Safety and Hygiene Inspections: The Preventive and Sanitation Unit conducts inspections of eateries within the Institute for Agricultural Research to ensure food safety and hygiene standards are met.

2. Disease Prevention and Control: The unit is involved in health promotion and education, aiming to raise awareness about health issues and encourage healthy behaviors among students and staff at IAR. Preventive activities include environmental sanitation, immunization, afforestation, food hygiene inspections, trimming of flowers, cutting back overgrown grass, fumigation, enforcing food handler regulations, and the evacuation of refuse and sewage in both residential and academic areas.

3. Immunization Services: The Preventive and Sanitation Unit at IAR provides immunization services for both staff and students.

4. Environmental Sanitation: The unit ensures environmental sanitation through activities such as trimming flowers, cutting back overgrown grasses, evacuating solid and liquid waste, and cleaning public toilets at IAR.

Challenges

1. The IAR Management is making commendable efforts to provide all necessary working materials for the Preventive and Sanitation Unit, and we remain grateful for their support.

2. There is concern about absenteeism among junior staff, and we are actively working to resolve this issue.

3. Casual staff are also doing their best to fulfil their responsibilities effectively.