Sanitarian’s main role is to promote public health. Every organization has to fulfill the regulations bound to the health protection of its workers. It is the duty of a sanitarian to enforce these regulations to facilitate public health. In this paper, I shall discuss the roles and responsibilities of a sanitarian, the path taken by my interviewee as well as the changes noted by my interviewee in the field. I will also discuss the positive and negative aspects of a sanitarian’s career as well as the current employment opportunities trends in an exclusive manner.
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Most roles of the Sanitarians are prevention-based. They are tasked with the responsibility of observing employee activities in their workplaces to prevent the spread of disease. They emphasize disease prevention strategies that are bound to compliance in the workplace. They also educate the public on disease preventive measures. Sanitarians are usually health practitioners who offer the best education service to the community. As stipulated in the Alma-Atta conference, WHO recognizes health education as a principle of primary healthcare, hence the rising demand for sanitarians in the health sector (Appiah). They also monitor the disposal of waste with more focus on sewage treatment systems. Many diseases are nurtured by poor waste disposal mechanisms which facilitate the spread of vectors that trigger health problems amongst populations. Sanitarians also enforce health regulations in the workplace. With effective monitoring of employee conduct, health regulations are adequately met by organizations, thus influencing the better health of the communities.
To become a health sanitarian, one has to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety. One can get employment through post-secondary training or on-the-job training. However, most organizations demand that to be qualified as a sanitarian, one needs to have exposure to real situational experience for a minimum of 30 hours in a basic or applied science. Others can also join the occupation bypassing the National Environmental Health Association tests after which a certificate is obtained. A sanitarian earns an average of $44,084 annually. According to Malcolm et al., there has been an increasing awareness of health matters in the global society. There has been increased training on sanitarians to equip them with the required skills for the job. Harry Steigman reports that since 1956, the ratio of sanitarians to population size has improved from 1:20,000 to 1:15,000. Also, by 1960, sanitarians would achieve their Bachelor’s degree by the age of 40 unlike before, when it was achievable at the age of 45 years. In modern society, the ages have been reduced almost by half depending on individual passion, finance, and achievement. In modern times, sanitarians have become a crucial need for an organization’s safe health provision to its employees.
The sanitarian in modern society is advantaged in that, they have exposure to knowledge that is set to improve the health of the community. As public educators, they tend to be more aware of the health concerns of the community and retain the potential to save societies from fatal health problems directly related to our changing environments. However, sanitarians face several challenges too. To begin with, the career is biased by gender. While economies are portraying an increasing level of competitiveness, men are indulging themselves in the sanitarian career, posing a career risk to women. Emeharole reveals that Nigerian women previously demanded inclusion into the health profession, a clear aspect of gender bias (Emeharole 187). However, health organizations are still trying to reach out to communities to enroll in sanitarian courses. To qualify as a sanitarian today, one needs a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health and safety or a related field such as Chemistry, Biology, or Engineering. Some firms may require a Masters in Health Physics or Industrial Health.
Works cited
Appiah-Agyekum, N. N. “NGO Contributions to Creating Wealth Through Health Promotion in Ghana.”
Emeharole, P. O. “Prospects and Problems of Women Sanitarians Justifying Their Inclusion in the Environmental Health Profession: The Nigerian Situation.” Journal of the Royal Society of Health 111.5 (1991): 188-192.
Hope, Malcolm C. “THE SANITARIAN–TODAY AND TOMORROW.” The Sanitarian 19.6 (1957): 248-252.
Steigman, Harry, et al. “Career development of Pennsylvania sanitarians.” Public Health Reports 77.9 (1962): 811.

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