Assessment of Environmental Health Surveillance Systems in Taraba State, North East Nigeria

Environmental health surveillance is fundamental to the early detection of disease outbreaks and the monitoring of environmental risk factors affecting community health. This study assessed the status of environmental health surveillance systems in Taraba State, North East Nigeria. A health systems assessment framework was applied across twenty-two local government areas, involving structured interviews with state and LGA environmental health officers, review of disease notification records from 2020 to 2024, and assessment of laboratory diagnostic capacity for waterborne and vector-borne diseases. Findings revealed that only thirty-nine percent of LGAs had functional environmental health reporting systems with consistent monthly data submissions to the state health information platform. Data quality assessments found completeness rates of fifty-one percent and timeliness rates of forty-four percent, both below national minimum standards. Laboratory capacity for environmental sample analysis was limited to the state capital, creating significant delays in confirmation of disease events in rural LGAs. Environmental health officers cited inadequate transportation, limited supervision, and equipment shortfalls as primary barriers to surveillance function. Three disease outbreaks in the assessment period were identified retrospectively, indicating delayed detection. The study concludes that Taraba State environmental health surveillance is significantly under-resourced and fragmented. Recommendations include investment in LGA-level surveillance infrastructure, digital reporting systems, decentralized laboratory capacity, and enhanced supportive supervision for field officers. Keywords: environmental health surveillance, Taraba State, disease surveillance, health information system, LGA.