IFEH Conference 2006
During the third week of June 2006, the Environmental
Health Officers' Association hosted and organised
in Dublin, the 9th World Congress on Environmental Health.
We attracted a large representation from
around the world, from less developed nations as well
as the developed. Delegates came from a range of
professions: academics, public service officials, and
opinion formers. There were meetings of regional
groups, world groups, and an open forum. We sought to address the main issues in environmental
health in 2006, with internationally recognised keynote
speakers. The 2006 World Congress in Dublin had
an Irish character.
To find
out more about the 9th World Congress, click here...
IFEH
Conference 2004
February 2004 saw the I.F.E.H host its 8th World Congress
in Durban, South Africa.
To
read more about the 2004 Congress, click here...
From 2002 to 2004 the EHOA provides the Honorary posts
of Chairman and Secretary to the IFEH Europe Group.
In February 2004, Colm Smyth becomes the first directly
elected, President Elect of the International Federation
of Environmental Health. He will be inaugurated as President
in Dublin in June 2006 and will hold office for two
years.
IFEH Links
www.ifeh.org
www.ifeh2006.org
The
International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH)
The International Federation of Environmental Health
aims to link organisations of environmental health professionals
around the world. The Federation seeks to provide means
of exchanging information and experience on environmental
health, to hold Congresses and meetings to discuss subjects
relevant to environmental health science, to represent
the interests of environmental health professionals
and to promote field studies of environmental health
control.
The following are the members of the IFEH
| Australia |
Austria |
Botswana |
| Canada |
Cyprus |
Denmeark |
| England, Wales & Northern Ireland |
Finland |
France |
| Germany |
Greece |
Holland |
| Hong Kong |
Ireland |
Kazakhstan |
| Kenya |
Latvia |
Lithuania |
| Malaysia |
Malawi |
Mauritius |
| New Zealand |
Nigeria |
Norway |
| Scotland |
Singapore |
South Africa |
| Sweden |
Tanzania |
USA |
| Zambia |
Zimbabwe |
|
Ireland and the IFEH
In September 1985 the professional associations for
Environmental Health Officers in Scotland, England,
Northern Ireland, Wales, and Ireland established the
International Federation of Environmental Health. Australia
and Malaysia soon joined them. Today there are around
thirty countries in the Federation. Fourteen are European,
and thirteen of these are from the newly enlarged European
Union. Each member is the national representative organisation
for professionals working in Environmental Health in
their country. There are also approximately thirty associate
member institutions and organisations, around the World.
They range from bodies such as the California Environmental
Heath Association to the Dublin Institute of Technology.
IFEH membership enables us to communicate easily with our
colleagues in other countries. While circumstances may differ,
many of the same problems and issues appear in different
countries. The international exchange of experience and knowledge
benefits us all. Our profession gets an international recognition.
It enables us to participate in international projects, and
have an international voice.
The Federation continues to spread, bringing together not
just E.H.O.s but other professionals in the environment and
health fields. IFEH is divided into four regional groups:
Americas, African, Pacific Rim and the Europe Group.
The I.F.E.H., Europe group has conducted a project on food
hygiene training for socially disadvantaged persons. This
project was led by Ireland and supported by the E.U. Leonardo
Programme. Denmark developed the IFEH website (http://www.ifeh.org.)
It also developed the web-based project on Sustainability
Indicators.
The Northern Ireland Centre of the CIEH provided a Technical
Reference Library to support a new university degree course
for E.H.O.s in Tanzania.
IFEH Europe is a member of the European Environmental and
Health Committee (EEHC). This is a unique coalition of countries
and organisations in the WHO European Region bringing together
representatives from: health ministries, environment ministries,
intergovernmental organisations and civil-society organisations.
Its role is to provide a forum for the discussion of environment
and health policy, and it serves as the steering committee
for the series of ministerial conferences on environment
and health, held by WHO every five years. The next is the
Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health to
be held in Budapest 2004.
IFEH is an NGO, officially accredited to the Codex Ailementarius
Commission.
The Commission was created by FAO and WHO to develop food
standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of
practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
The main purposes of this Programme are protecting health
of the consumers and ensuring fair trade practices in the
food trade, and promoting co-ordination of all food standards
work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental
organisations.
Professional exchange programmes are being developed. Educational
forums have been held. An academic forum has been established.
From the 22nd - 27thFebruary 2004 the 8th World Congress
on Environmental Health. will be held in Durban, South
Africa.
Gerard P. McDermott
Senior Environmental Health Officer
South Eastern Health Board
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