Monthly Archives: September 2015

Built Environment

Borno Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Development:

Borno Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Development:
A response strategy for creation of sustainable livelihoods

Destroyed Roads and Bridges by Boko Haram
Destroyed Roads and Bridges by Boko Haram

Boko Haram wars, and environmental disasters, all lead to large scale impacts on life, property, infrastructure, and social and cultural relationships.

Vice President visit to Maiduguri IDPs
Vice President visit to Maiduguri IDPs

This article it puts forward a disaster response strategy to rebuild lives and livelihoods in a manner that paves a way for long term sustainable development in Borno State. In both human- made and natural disaster situations the impacts can be mitigated to a large extent through adequate planning and preparedness. Negative impacts of human- made disasters can be managed, if social, ecological and economic consequences of our actions are considered and development decisions made accordingly.

Governor Shettima
Governor Shettima

The consequences are, of-course the most obvious and immediate, loss of life, property and infrastructure. The more long term and difficult  outcome increased vulnerability to elements, loss of livelihoods, increased poverty, economic recession, malnutrition, leading to out- migration from villages, enhanced social disparities and strife.

Mechanisms of Response
Disaster response has been at four levels.

  1. Relief immediately after the calamity, lasting from the first 24
    hours to about two to three months and catering to immediate shelter, food, water and medical assistance.
  2. Reconstruction following relief and extending to a period of
    approximately two years, aimed at rebuilding the basic physical
    infrastructure and shelter to enable people to begin afresh; and,
  3. Rehabilitation, that looks at more long term inputs of
    reinstating lost livelihoods, introducing new economic opportunities and improving land and water management processes so as to reduce people’s vulnerability and enhance capacities to handle future calamities.
  4. Readiness, a response which should ideally have been a proactive measure, is to enhance preparedness in identified vulnerable regions by introducing mechanisms and methods of construction that mitigate impacts of future disasters.
Borno
Borno

A Holistic Approach
The process of reconstruction involves partial or complete relocation and rebuilding the essential physical infrastructure and shelter (house) so that vulnerability levels are reduced and families are able to get back to their feet. Reconstruction therefore paves the way for long term rehabilitation.

To be continued

 

 

 

Environmental Consultancy

The WHO-approved Safest Ways to Manage Healthcare Wastes

Waste produced by health-care activities includes a wide range of materials, such as used needles and syringes, medical devices and radioactive materials, soiled dressings, body parts, blood, chemicals, diagnostic samples and pharmaceuticals.

Health-care Waste
Improper management of health-care waste potentially exposes patients, health-care workers, waste handlers, and the whole community at large, to infection, injuries, toxic effects, and risks of environmental pollution. It is vital that all medical waste materials be confined to their production points by putting them into hygienic refuse bins, properly handled and safely disposed of afterwards.

Stained Syringes
Tumore prostatico: la prognosi in base a stadio, grado e rischio

Tumore prostatico: la prognosi in base a stadio, grado e rischio


Tumeur de la prostate : pronostic en fonction du stade, du grade et du risque

Tumeur de la prostate : pronostic en fonction du stade, du grade et du risque

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In the course of health-care activities, from radioactive isotopes to contaminated needles, has a higher potential to cause injury and infection than any other form of waste. And improper and/or inadequate medical refuse management has the likelihood to have devastating public health consequences and negative effects on the environment. That is why reputable and seasoned environmental consultants like Primefield worry!
Recently, the World Health organization (WHO) published a handbook that provides a comprehensive guideline on environmentally-sound, efficient and safe techniques for handling, disposal and management of health-care wastes in both normal and emergency situations. The said handbook, which is fully endorsed by Primefield, also discusses other related issues like the ever-changing disease patterns and climate change, and their impacts on the environment. Click here to download the Handbook on Safe Management of Health-care Wastes.
This WHO Handbook on Safe Management of Health-care Wastes recommends a special approach for medical settings where resources are severely-limited, by paying customized attention to basic technologies and processes that are not just safe, but also culturally-appropriate, sustainable and cost-effective. It targets hospital managers, policy makers, public health managers, environmental health professionals, environmental consultants, environmental activists and anyone who has interest and responsibility in waste management.