The Ghana Environmental Health Practitioners Association (GEHPA) has called for the establishment of an Environmental Health Council to regulate professional standards, licensing, accreditation and ethics within the environmental health profession.

The proposal formed part of a series of resolutions adopted at the Association's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Institute of Local Government Studies in Madina, Accra, from June 21 to 23, 2026.

Held under the theme, "Repositioning Stakeholder Engagements for the Rebirth of Environmental Health and Sanitation Practice in Ghana," the meeting brought together all 16 Regional Chairpersons of GEHPA and development partners to discuss reforms aimed at strengthening environmental health and sanitation services nationwide.

The Association said the proposed Environmental Health Council would oversee professional licensing, accreditation, ethics, continuing professional development and quality assurance, while ensuring practitioners maintain high professional standards.

It called for broad stakeholder consultations to facilitate the establishment of the regulatory body.

Beyond professional regulation, GEHPA urged the government to strengthen the country's environmental health workforce by recruiting and deploying qualified graduates to address critical staffing shortages across Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

The Association also demanded the immediate resolution of staff upgrading, placement and remuneration disparities, arguing that addressing these concerns would improve motivation, fairness and service delivery.

On professional development, the NEC endorsed the creation of a structured national Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme to equip practitioners with skills in emerging public health areas, including One Health, antimicrobial resistance, climate change and health, environmental risk assessment, air quality management, the circular economy and sustainable urban development.

To improve the visibility and public recognition of environmental health professionals, the Association approved the adoption of a standardised national dress code and identity system for practitioners.

It appealed to the government and local authorities to support the provision of approved uniforms and field identification materials to enhance professionalism, public confidence and operational effectiveness.

The practitioners also renewed calls for reforms within the local government system, urging the government to elevate the Environmental Health Unit into a fully-fledged department.

According to GEHPA, such a move would strengthen disease prevention, sanitation governance, food safety regulation, environmental risk management and public health protection.

The Association further advocated retaining an integrated Environmental Health and Sanitation Service structure, arguing that waste management, sanitation, food safety, vector control and environmental disease prevention are interconnected public health functions that require coordinated leadership.

On sanitation service delivery, the Association urged the government to establish sustainable financing mechanisms, strengthen institutional frameworks and improve contract management systems to ensure uninterrupted sanitation services.

GEHPA noted that MMDAs had already received funding for sanitation services and called on authorities to prioritise assessments of service delivery, identify operational gaps and implement evidence-based interventions.

The Association also appealed to the Local Government Service to establish a dedicated Environmental Health and Sanitation Desk to provide strategic leadership, workforce planning, policy coordination, technical guidance and professional support for environmental health practitioners across the country.

The resolutions come at a time when Ghana continues to intensify efforts to improve sanitation, strengthen disease prevention and address growing environmental health challenges in rapidly urbanising communities.