Ogoniland Environmental Pollution: WHO Begins Study Of Public Health Implications After 14 Years Of UNEP report

A specialised arm of the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) alongside the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project has started a three year public health study in Ogoni with a view to addressing the health implications of decades of oil pollution in Ogoniland.

The leader of the IARC team, Joaching SChuz, said the study is aimed at providing concrete evidence of the impact of the environmental pollution on the health of the people with the collection of over 4000 thousand blood samples in the four LGAs of Ogoniland.

One of the recommendations of the twenty eleven United Nations Environmental programme (UNEP) report on ogoni Clean-Up is the health audit of the people who have over the years been exposed to contamination emanating from hydrocarbon pollution

In line with the recommendations after fourteen years of the report, the international agency for research on cancer, a specialised arm of World health organisation (WHO) in partnership with hydrocarbon pollution remediation project commenced a 3-year study.

The key deliverables of the study aim to produce a comprehensive health risk assessment directly linked to hydrocarbon pollution, capacity building for local health professionals and clear recommendations for public health response based on findings in the Nigerian oil rich region.

The initiative also seeks to address global health concerns emerging in a polluted environment, including cancer reproductive disorders and respiratory illnesses.

The team leader of the international agency for research on cancer, joachim schuz and other members, said the study is also targeted to provide concrete evidence of the impact of environment pollution on the health of the people, adding that the study would collect blood samples of over four thousand people from the four LGAS across ogoni.

The international agency for research on cancer team therefore called on the people of ogoni to participate in the study which is expected to provide valuable information for public health planning and disease prevention.

Editor : Ena Agbanoma