Public health experts have called on governments at all levels to prioritise environmental cleanliness and public hygiene over excessive dependence on vaccination in promoting healthy living.
The appeal was made during the 10th National Conference on Environment and Health, organised by the Living Sciences Foundation at the University of Ilesa, Osun State.
The two-day event brought together researchers, academics, and policy makers to deliberate on environmental health challenges.
A former Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University and meteorology specialist, Professor Debo Adeyewa, stressed that the government must focus on environmental health and balanced nutrition as key to disease prevention.
“God has provided everything that we need that gives us immunity. The food we eat is medicine and a form of immunisation. God has created an immunity through the environment,” he said.
He warned that an overreliance on vaccines could be problematic, noting that vaccination itself was not inherently bad but could be misused.
“Vaccination is not bad in itself, but can be abused. We are not condemning vaccination. However, we are saying that some processes can be abused,” he added.
Adeyewa further pointed out the dangers of contaminated water and poor sanitation, saying these factors contribute significantly to disease outbreaks in society.
He urged for collective efforts and interventions to ensure a clean and safe environment.
In his address, former Vice-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, Professor Dapo Asaju, highlighted the connection between health, environment and theology.
“This Living Sciences Conference reveals the realities of sciences where people are challenged to be better doctors and healers of a world that is sick, needing good people to get things done the right way,” he stated.
President of the Living Sciences Foundation, Professor Joshua Ojo, a health physics and environmental specialist, emphasised the need for collaborative approaches to managing environmental health.
“Environmental health issues are not something to be treated in silos. We have compartments, and that’s why we believe in having a multi-stationary approach to manage environmental health, using this National Conference to bring together stakeholders,” he said.
Professor Ojo also underscored the importance of maintaining a healthy environment through education, advocacy, and coordinated government action.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilesa, the institution’s ICT Director, Oladipo Folorunsho, commended the Foundation for choosing the university as host.
He described the event as a platform for promoting environmental awareness and sustainable health practices.
“The goal is looking at how we can make our environment friendly, how we can live and apply the needs for healthy living. This conference pioneers advocacy for these,” Folorunsho said.
He further reiterated the university’s commitment to promoting environmental responsibility.
“We practise green culture in our surroundings. We don’t cross lawns. We encourage health education and human kinetics, having all other contributions towards improving human health,” he added.
