Owerri — Students of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) have welcomed the recent approval for the establishment of Institute of Environmental Health Technology (IEHT) for the training of people of the area in environmental health.

The university, in a statement issued after the 336th meeting of the senate, said the institute had been approved to run certificate, post-graduate diploma, M.Sc/M.EH and Doctor of Philosophy degree courses in Environmental Health Science (Ph.D) or Doctorate degree in Environmental Health (D.EH), as well as to mount special undergraduate programme for professional Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) with Higher National Diploma (HND) from West Africa Health Examination Board (WAHEB).

Abubakar Atiku, a 500-level environmental health student said, "the institute will address the dearth of environmental health practitioners in the country and further train them to be more resourceful, competent in research and evidence based practice in the country."