DOH PROGRAM

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND

SANITATION PROGRAM

Environmental Health

It is concerned with preventing illness through managing the

environment and by changing people's behavior to reduce
exposure to biological and non-biological agents of disease
and injury.
It is concerned primarily with effects of the environment to the
health of the people.
DOH thru Environmental Health Services (EHS) unit is
authorized to act on all issues and concerns in environment
and health including the very comprehensive Sanitation Code
of the Philippines (PD 856, 1978).

Program strategies and activities

Focused on environmental sanitation, environmental health

impact assessment and occupational health through interagency collaboration.
An Inter-Agency COmmittee on Environmental Health was
created by virute of E.O. 489 to facilitate and improve
coordination among concerned agencies. It provides the venue
for technical collaboration, effective monitoring and
communication, resource mobilization, policy review and
development.
The Committee has five sectoral task forces on water, solid
waste, air, toxic and chemical substances and occupational
health.

Vision
Health Settings for All Filipinos
Mission
Provide leadership in ensuring health settings
Goal
Reduction of environmental and occupational related
diseases, disabilities and deaths through health promotion
and mitigation of hazards and risks in the environment
and work places.

Environmental and
Sanitation
It is the prevention and control of diseases by

eliminating or controlling the environmental

factors which may form links in disease
transmission.
It is the study of all factors in mans physical
environment which may exercise a deleterious
effect on health, well-being and survival.

Importance of Environmental Sanitation

It promotes health
It prevents disease transmission
It eliminates breeding places of insects and
rodents that may be carrier of disease
It improves the quality of life

Components of Environmental
Sanitation

Water Supply Sanitation

Solid Waste Management
Food Sanitation
Insect and Vermin Control
Excreta and Sewage Disposal
Housing and Public Places Sanitation
Environmental Protection
Hospital Waste Management

Water Supply Sanitation

Approved type of water facilities
Level 1 (Point Source)

a protected well or a developed spring with an

outlet but without a distribution system
indicated for rural areas
serves 15-25 households; its outreach is not more
than 250 m from the farthest user
yields 40-140 L/ min

Level II (Communal Faucet or Stand Posts)

With a source, reservoir, piped distribution

network and communal faucets
Located at not more than 25 m from the farthest
house
Delivers 40-80 L of water per capital per day to
an average of 100 households
Fit for rural areas where houses are densely
clustered

Level III (Individual House Connections or

Waterworks System)

With a source, reservoir, piped distributor network

and household taps
Fit for densely populated urban communities
Requires minimum treatment or disinfection

Proper Excreta and Sewage

Disposal
Level I

Non-water carriage toilet facility no water necessary to wash the

waste into receiving space e.g. pit latrines, reed odorless earth
closet.
Toilet facilities requiring small amount of water to wash the waste
into the receiving space e.g. pour flush toilet & aqua privies

Level II
On site toilet facilities of the water carriage type with water-sealed
and flush type with septic vault/tank disposal.
Level III
Water carriage types of toilet facilities connected to septic tanks
and/or to sewerage system to treatment plant.

Food Sanitation Program

sets policy and practical programs to prevent and control foodborne diseases to alleviate the living conditions of the
population
Inspection/approval of all food sources, containers and
transport vehicles
Compliance to sanitary permit requirements for all food
establishments
Provision of updated health certificate for food handlers
Destruction or banning of food unit for human consumption
Training of food handlers and operators on food sanitation

Hospital Waste Management

Program

Disposal of infectious, pathological and

other wastes from hospital which combine
them with the municipal or domestic
wastes pose health hazards to the people.
Hospitals shall dispose their hazardous
wastes thru incinerators or disinfectants to
prevent transmission of nosocomial
diseases

Program on Health Risk

Minimization due to

Environmental
Pollution
Prevention of serious environmental
hazards

resulting from urban growth and

industrialization
Policies on health protection measures
Researches on effects of GLOBAL WARMING
to health (depletion of the stratosphere ozone
layer which increases ultraviolet radiation,
climate change and other conditions)

Nursing Responsibilities and

Activities

Health Education IEC by conducting community

assemblies and bench conferences.
The Occupational Health Nurse, School Health Nurse and
other Nursing staff shall impart the need for an effective
and efficient environmental sanitation in their places of
work and in school.
Actively participate in the training component of the
service like in Food Handlers Class, and attend
training/workshops related to environmental health.
Assist in the deworming activities for the school children
and targeted groups.
Effectively and efficiently coordinate
programs/projects/activities with other government and
non-government agencies.

Act as an advocate or facilitator to families in the

community in matters of program/projects/activities on
environmental health in coordination with other members
of Rural Health Unit (RHU) especially the Rural Sanitary
Inspectors.
Actively participate in environmental sanitation
campaigns and projects in the community. Ex. Sanitary
toilet campaign drive for proper garbage disposal,
beautification of home garden, parks drainage and other
projects.
Be a role model for others in the community to emulate
terms of cleanliness in the home and surrounding.

10 Facts on Preventing Disease

Through Healthy Environment
1. Worldwide,

13
million deaths
could be prevented
every year by
making our
environments
healthier.

2. In

children under the

age of five, one third
of all disease is
caused by the
environmental
factors such as
unsafe water and air
pollution.

3. Every

year, the lives of four million children

under 5 years mostly in developing countries
could be saved by preventing environmental
risks such as unsafe water and polluted air.

4. In

developing countries, the main

environmentally caused diseases are diarrhoeal
disease, lower respiratory infections,
unintentional injuries, and malaria.

5. Better

environmental
management could
prevent 40% of deaths
from malaria, 41% of
deaths from lower
respiratory infections,
and 94% of deaths from
diarrhoeal disease
three of the world's
biggest childhood
killers.

6. In the least
developed countries,
one third of death
and disease is a
direct result of
environmental
causes.

7. In developed countries,
healthier environments
could significantly reduce
the incidence of cancers,
cardiovascular diseases,
asthma, lower respiratory
infections,
musculoskeletal diseases,
road traffic injuries,
poisonings, and
drownings.

8. Environmental
factors influence 85
out of the 102
categories of
diseases and injuries
listed in The world
health report.

9. Much of this death,

illness and disability
could be prevented
through well targeted
interventions such as
promoting safe
household water
storage, better hygiene
measures and the use of
cleaner and safer fuels.

10. Other interventions that

can make environments
healthier include:
increasing the safety of
buildings; promoting safe,
careful use and
management of toxic
substances at home and in
the workplace; and better
water resource
management.

Reference:
Republic of the Philippines
Department of health
http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/349
World health Organization
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/environmen
tal_health/en/index.html

THE END
THANK YOU and
GOD BLESS!!