Umuahia — To protect people from water borne diseases and ensure quality health for the citizenry, a professor of microbiology(microbial biotechnology) has called on relevant authorities to maintain regular microbiogical assessment and physicochemical analysis of water meant for drinking and other domestic uses.
Microbiological assessment of water helps to detect the presence of microorganisms that cause diseases while physicochemical analysis aims to find out the presence of dangerous chemicals harmful to health.
Professor Uchechi Nnebuihe Ekwenye of Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike(MOUAU) made the call for safe water while delivering the 51st inaugural lecture of the institution entitled, “Microbes: Friends and Foes”.
“The presence of pathogenic organisms and organisms indicating organic and faecal pollution(indicator organsms) may render water unfit for drinking, swimming and domestic purposes,” she said.
The micro organism expert explored the relationship between human beings and the living organisms that are invisible to the naked eyes, pointing out the harm they do to human health as well as the possible benefits derivable from microbes.
Citing the COVID-19 pandemic as a proof that “microorganisms are best known for their role as agents of diseases”, Prof Ekwenye, noted that “most microbial infections can be presented by maintaining healthy living habits, safe practices and healthy immune system”.
She made some recommendations, which she believes would protect people from the harmful effects of disease-causing microbes that are present everywhere and readily contaminate the things that people consume.
“Maintenance of good water quality in the fish ponds should be encouraged for the production of larger and healthier fishes for human consumption,” she said, adding that effective management of wastewater discharged from industries are required in order to minimise the problem of water borne diseases.
Prof Ekwenye condemned open defecation, a practice which is wide spread in Nigeria, saying that it should be discouraged because of the health hazards associated with the unhygienic disposal of human wastes.
She also advised against the practice of releasing heavy metals into the environment, adding that industries should educate their workers on the negative impacts on plants, animals(fishes) and humans and take actions to stop polluting the environment.
On how microorganisms could be utilised to the advantage of humans, the microbial expert recommended that “mixed bacteria cultures should be used in bioremediation of crude oil contaminated sites for quicker and more efficient cleanup”
She further stated that chicken feather wastes should be put into biotechnological uses like production of fertiliser and feather meals.
However, the MOUAU don underlined the need to establish an maintain functional microbial culture collections for providing correctly identified strains”.