Environmental Health Unit:
Environmental health remains one of the most important links between public health, engineering, municipality work, management and training. In the true spirit of public health and the aim of the Institute to work with a variety of disciplines, the unit engages in activities in close co-operation with municipalities, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Labour. The Environmental Health Unit engages in research activities such as feasibility studies, monitoring and evaluation, and assessments. The unit has also intitiated a variety of training programs aimed at the upgrading of infrastructure and human resources involved with environmental health in the country. As Palestine undergoes a dual transitional phase of urbanisation and industrialisation, the unit emphasises not only rural environmental development but also organised urbanisation and industrialisation. The goal of the unit is to foster environmental and ecological preservation, while combating environmental degradation and misuse of the Palestinian environment.
1998 Activities - Environmental Health:
The focus of our activities in the EH Unit is close cooperation with the different bodies in charge of public and environmental health. This includes close cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Governorate of Ramallah, the municipalities, the Ministry of Food Supplies, the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Industry. Several pieces of work were completed this year, and others continue. We are ready to produce two publications the first pertains to industries and zoning regulations in the Ramallah District, which shows the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration to regulate and integrate the different licensing procedures as a matter of public health. The other piece pertains to the stone cutting industries in the Ramallah District, again raising key issues pertaining to public health and safety. A third study, on housing, ill health and women will be published shortly as well. This study was completed two years ago. However, because of logistic reasons, we were not able to publish and disseminate this study widely. At this stage, we have secured the ability to do so, and this study is currently ready for publication. A fourth small study is an audit of one industry in the Ramallah industrial area, taken as a case example of hazards to public health. The audit investigates the effluent of an electroplating industry, indicating how, if left unattended, this waste is bound to affect not only the environment in terms of contamination, but people's health as well.
back to main page
