Water sampling: Clean drinking water is essential to life

Air sampling and monitoring

Environmental health focuses on the prevention of diseases, illnesses, injuries, and death that may be caused by interactions between people and their environment. The goal of the Environmental health programme is to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all. This is accomplished through the assessment, monitoring, and control of environmental elements that may impact human health. The area of practise for Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP’s) includes maintaining water quality, food safety and hygiene, waste management, health surveillance of premises, surveillance and prevention of communicable diseases, vector control, and environmental pollution control.

A significant factor affecting health is the physical environment in which individuals reside. Contaminants in our air, water, food, and soil can have a variety of harmful impacts on our health depending on the exposure amount. The goal of environmental health, which is a part of the public health system, is to safeguard the public’s health and improve quality of life by identifying, addressing, preventing, and managing environmental variables that may be harmful to people’s health. This is a profession for those interested in medical/biological and environmental problems. The EHP must be a responsible individual who can effectively communicate with individuals and groups in society. He/she must show commitment because he/she will be expected to make decisions that may have a great impact on the health of the community and the economy.

The programme consists of a 4-year Bachelors of Health Sciences degree in Environmental Health, Master of Health Sciences in Environmental Health and Doctor of Environmental Health.

On completion of the 4-year undergraduate degree, students register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (Environmental Health Board) as community service Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP’s). After completion of the 1-year community service placement, they register as Independent Practitioners and may practice in any of the following fields:

• Community Development
• Environmental Management
• Environmental Pollution Control
• Epidemiology
• Food and Meat Hygiene
• Health Promotion
• Occupational Health and Safety

Staff