-
Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of Environmental Sanitation In The Control Of Malaria
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 2 of 3
-
-
-
One of the essential public health care elements is provision of safe
drinking water and sanitation. However, deposition of faecal matter near
homes, contamination of sources of drinking water (sometimes caused by
poorly designed or maintained sewage system), dumping of refuse and
sweeping into the gutters, defecating and disposing of faeces by the
street corners and waterways and selling of food stuffs and cooked food
by the road side are all unwholesome practices that pose potential risk
to the development of diseases. Water quantity is as important as water
quality. Washing of hands after defecation and before preparing food is
of particular importance in reducing disease transmission, as has been
demonstrated by Nigeria‟s recent control over Ebola Viral Disease. Poor
housing also contributes to poor environment health and its consequent
input in the health of the urban dwellers. Measures for the prevention
of cholera mostly consist of providing clean water and proper sanitation
to populations who do not yet have access to basic services. Health
education and good food hygiene are equally important.
The
environmental sanitation-related diseases exacer-bate poverty by
diminishing productivity and household income. In addition, the national
cost of lost productivity, reduced educational potential and huge
curative health costs constitute a major drain on the local and national
economy. Besides, a dirty environment with its attendant health
consequences, prevailing in most of our cities, can discourage
tourists/investors and undermine the economic benefit of tourism to the
country. Consequently, wide-ranging actions are required to solve
Environmental Sanitation problems in order to reduce and avert their
adverse health, economic and developmental effects.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Inadequate
sanitation is a major cause of disease world-wide and improving
sanitation is known to have a significant beneficial impact on health
both in households and across communities. The word 'sanitation' also
refers to the maintenance of hygienic conditions through services such
as garbage collection and waste-water disposal. In addition,
environmental sanitation according to World Health Organization is the
control of all those factors in man‟s physical environment which
exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical
development, health and survival. It could also be seen as the principle
and practice of effecting healthful and hygienic conditions in the
environment to promote public health and welfare, improve quality of
life and ensure a sustainable environment (Alabi, 2010). The essential
components of environmental sanitation include: solid waste management;
medical waste management; excreta and sewage management; food
sanitation; sanitary inspection of premises; market and abattoir
sanitation; adequate potable water supply; school sanitation; pest and
vector control; management of urban drainage; control of reared and
stray animals; disposal of the dead animals; weed and vegetation
control; hygiene education and promotion.
In most developing
countries adequate environmental sanitation has not been strictly
adhered to. For example in some parts of Nigeria, living with waste as
part of the natural environment has become a way of life. Although there
has been a remarkable improvement from what it used to be in the late
eighties/early nineties, there is still much to be done as Lagos, our
“Nigerian Centre of Excellenceâ€, has been depicted a vast slum (Alabi,
2010). In the United States, slum is often used to refer to marginalized
neighborhoods, but in developing countries, it usually means a
settlement built in or near a city by residents themselves, without
official authorization or regulation. Such housing units are typically
substandard, and the infrastructure and services range from non-existent
to improvised. Therefore, the study focuses on the assessment of the
effectiveness if environmental sanitation in the control of Malaria in
Abeokuta metropolis.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 2 of 3
-
