The Impact of Public Health on the Nigerian Environment and Communities

This paper examines the global developments in public health and how the concepts and practices have been changing in Nigeria from pre-independence time to the new millennium. Public Health has emerged into various disciplines with central focus on epidemiology and disease prevention and control. Nigeria has a long history of developments in public health and the creation of Federal Ministry of Environment has broadened the scope. The crisis of environmental exploitation due to industrial revolution and developmental activities has degraded the environment considerably through several policies and international treaties; environment has become an essential part of public health.