Capacity building of local governmental and non-governmental organizations on environmental hygiene through a community-based training workshop program

Abstract

This study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of a joint community-based environmental hygiene program in partnership between local governmental and non-governmental organizations with participants from different professional backgrounds, including inspectors of environmental sanitation and community leaders in Lagos, Nigeria, because no suitable collaboration had been implemented in this area. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were performed with regard to malaria prevention and community-based environmental hygiene training workshops in three local communities in Lagos, Nigeria. Qualitative evaluation revealed the importance of establishment of close partnerships between local governmental and non-governmental organizations, and possible community participation in the program for its success. A total of 36 participants completed pre- and follow-up assessment before and after the three-day training course. The mean pre-test score was 27.8 ± 13.9 (mean ± standard deviation), while that of the follow-up test was 57.1 ± 17.8. This mean gain of 29.3 ± 17.4 in the score represented a significant improvement (p < 0.001). The objective of the training workshop, i.e., to implement the community-based environmental hygiene program, was successfully achieved. The training workshop also established good relations between governmental and non-governmental organizations with different professional backgrounds, and demonstrated the potential for sustained collaboration.

Keywords:

• Community health
• partnerships
• environmental health
• organization