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By: Samuel Asamoah
The Ghana Environmental Health Practitioners’ Association (GEHPA) has called on the Government to undertake far-reaching reforms to strengthen environmental health governance, improve sanitation service delivery and address critical workforce challenges as the country grapples with recurring public health and sanitation concerns.
The call follows a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Association held at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Madina, Accra, from June 21 to 23, 2026, under the theme: “Repositioning Stakeholder Engagements for the Rebirth of Environmental Health and Sanitation Practice in Ghana.”
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, GEHPA said environmental health remained central to disease prevention, sanitation governance, food safety and environmental risk management, stressing that the sector required stronger institutional support to effectively protect public health.
The Association’s foremost recommendation is for Government to elevate the Environmental Health Unit into a fully-fledged department within the Local Government structure. According to GEHPA, such a move would enhance disease prevention efforts, strengthen sanitation governance and improve environmental health management nationwide.
GEHPA also rejected any fragmentation of environmental health functions, insisting that waste management, sanitation, food safety, vector control and environmental disease prevention are interconnected services that should continue to operate under an integrated Environmental Health and Sanitation Service structure.
The Association further appealed to the Local Government Service to establish a dedicated Environmental Health and Sanitation Desk to provide strategic leadership, policy coordination, workforce planning and technical support for practitioners across the country.
To improve professional competence, GEHPA proposed the introduction of a structured national Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme covering emerging areas such as climate change and health, antimicrobial resistance, One Health, environmental risk assessment, air quality management, environmental safeguards and sustainable urban development.
The NEC also advocated broad stakeholder consultations towards establishing an Environmental Health Council to regulate professional licensing, accreditation, ethics, continuing professional development and quality assurance within the profession.
On human resource issues, GEHPA urged the immediate resolution of staff upgrading, placement and remuneration disparities affecting environmental health practitioners. It also appealed to Government to recruit and deploy more qualified environmental health graduates to bridge existing workforce gaps and strengthen frontline public health services.
Addressing the country’s sanitation service delivery system, the Association called for objective assessments of existing sanitation contracts and services at Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). It noted that the focus should be on accountability, performance and evidence-based decisions regarding future service arrangements rather than favouring any particular service provider.
GEHPA further urged Government and relevant stakeholders to guarantee uninterrupted sanitation services by establishing sustainable financing mechanisms, strengthening institutional frameworks and improving contract management systems to safeguard public health and environmental sustainability.
The NEC also cautioned against broad policy recommendations on waste management infrastructure without adequate evidence, arguing that sanitation needs differ across MMDAs and should be addressed based on service delivery assessments and identified operational gaps.
To improve the visibility and public recognition of environmental health professionals, GEHPA approved the adoption of a standardized national professional dress code and identity system. It appealed to Government and local authorities to support practitioners with approved uniforms and field identification materials to enhance professionalism, operational effectiveness and public confidence.
