Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health and environmental sectors have called for urgent, multidisciplinary, and coordinated action to address the growing public health risks linked to oil spills, particularly in the Niger Delta region.
This formed the focus of the 8th annual public health lecture hosted by the Young Medical Laboratory Scientists Forum (YMLSF), on March 26 to 29, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where experts emphasised the need for a multidisciplinary response to oil spill-related health challenges.
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Recent reports by the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) reveal that oil spill pollution resulting from gas exploration activities can release over 1,300 harmful substances into the environment. Alongside disruptive factors like noise and ground vibrations, these pollutants contaminate air, water and soil, posing serious public health risks to the environment and to communities living near oil-producing areas.
The three-day event began with high-level courtesy visits to traditional rulers, government officials and academic leaders, aimed at strengthening partnerships and aligning stakeholders around sustainable solutions to environmental health threats.
A key highlight was a free medical outreach in the Okutukutu community, where hundreds of residents received health screenings, medical consultations and health education, underscoring the Forum’s commitment to improving healthcare access in underserved areas.
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Speaking at the main lecture, themed “Oil spill management and public health: A multidisciplinary approach to mitigating health risks in Nigeria,” Adeola-Oyekan Joshua, national president of YMLSF, urged government agencies and industry players to prioritise health-centred policies in oil spill management.
“Stakeholders must employ a multidisciplinary action to manage oil spill pollution,” he noted.
He called for stronger environmental surveillance systems, increased investment in laboratory capacity for exposure detection and the integration of public health professionals into environmental response frameworks.
Joshua also advocated the enforcement of existing environmental regulations, increased research funding and improved occupational health protections for frontline response workers.
In his keynote address, Seiyefa Brisibe Funakpa, Bayelsa State commissioner for health, stressed the importance of sustained and integrated responses to environmental health risks.
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“An integrated approach in mitigating the health impacts of oil spills is critical to curbing this crisis,” he noted.
Experts at the event examined the epidemiological and toxicological impacts of oil spills, as well as strategies for prevention, mitigation and worker safety.
Participants at a panel session further highlighted the role of youth engagement, policy implementation and cross-sector collaboration in addressing oil spill challenges.
The Forum concluded with a call for a shift from reactive responses to proactive, system-driven preparedness, emphasising the need to strengthen laboratory infrastructure and embed scientific expertise in environmental governance.
