Capacity Building through National Trainings and Workshop to Promote the Implementation of Environmental Health Impact Assessment Procedural Guidelines

Abstract

Background: On the initiation of Nepal Health Research Council, Ministry of Health and Population through a high level National Steering Committee has recently endorsed the National Environmental Health Impact Assessment guideline 2002 which was prepared by the Nepal Health Research Council with support of World Health Organization. For effective implementation of this guideline and to adequately address the health issues during the process of assessment, the capacity should be developed at different levels. Methods: The training-workshops were categorized into three phases: first phase for policy makers on sensitization of the guidelines; second phase for present Environmental Impact Assessment practitioners and future practitioners; and last phase for Environmental Impact Assessment Implementers working in departments of different line agencies and organizations. The training was mainly based on giving practical knowledge on environmental health issues while reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment report. The meeting of the National Steering Committee was organized at the end of this activity to discuss on the achievements of three training workshops and on the future plan and policy regarding the implementation of these guidelines. Finally the detail report of the activity was submitted with overall evaluation and recommendations. Results: All the training-workshops were conducted successfully. Constructive remarks and recommendations were collected during group works and presentations. Good and quality papers on Environmental Impact Assessment related with health issues were presented by experts. Finally third national Steering Committee was conducted under the chairmanship of Secretary of Ministry of Health and Population. All the activities, work progress and achievements were summarized and presented in the meeting. The chairman assures that the national Steering Committee would be given continuity in the future and Environment health Unit of the ministry would be strengthened with more coordination with all members of National Steering Committee especially with Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology showed positive towards these guidelines and sent positive comments through secretarial level decision making. Conclusions: Need of amendment of these guidelines, establishment of these guidelines as Sectoral guidelines for health sector, development of process manual, capacity building in the Environmental Health Unit of Ministry of Health and population, active representation of the ministry in review committee of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, active leadership of the ministry and need of giving continuity to National Steering Committee. Keywords: capacity building; environmental health impact assessment; environmental impact assessment; national steering committee; training-workshops.