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Journal of Environmental Health, Vol.3, No. 1; March 2006
Vol. 3, No. 1 (March 2006)
Editorial
The Challenge of Effective Integration of Environmental
Control into Public Health Intervention in Nigeria
Aniefiok Moses
Health problems have remained a major challenge to mankind from the pre-stone age to
date. It is stated that in those days, diseases usually occur in epidemic proportion to the
extent that most communities were totally wipe-off in what was then known as
pestilence. These problems according to available records were associated with life in
large communal groups, crowded living conditions, poor sanitation and lack of personal
hygiene. It has been stated that unless the environmental component of disease
prevention and control is strengthened, disease control intervention would not achieve
much success. Therefore all stakeholders should endeavour to pay adequate attention to
environmental control so as to ensure effective disease control intervention and to
guarantee optimal health for the general population.
Journal of Environmental Health, Vol.3, No. 1; March 2006
Environmental Sanitation Knowledge Among Primary
School Pupils’ in Idemili North Local Government
Area of Anambra State
Effiong. S. Samuel, fesh, Ph.D.
Department of Health and Physical Education
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
This study was designed to determine the level of knowledge possessed by
primary school pupils of Idemili North local government area of Anambra state on
environmental sanitation. A cross-sectional survey design was used, with the
questionnaire as the only research tool. 360 questionnaires were administered in
30 randomly selected primary schools in the local government area, while 355
were returned. Data collected were analyzed using frequency distribution,
percentages and chi-square statistic. The study revealed that the pupils possessed
high level of knowledge regarding the importance of water supply and the
equipment used in refuse and sewage disposal; disease carried by female
Anopheles mosquitoes; disease associated with water pollution; proper method
used in handling food; and average level of knowledge regarding quality of good
housing conditions. It is therefore recommended that the federal, state and local
governments should encourage activities geared towards increasing awareness on
environmental sanitation; the school authorities and personnel including the
Headmasters/Mistresses and teachers should make ensure enforcement of
environmental sanitation rules in schools; while the target population for
environmental health education should be widened to included everybody and
pupils living in all parts of Nigeria. The state government in conjunction with the
Ministry of Education should design curriculum for environmental sanitation and go
further to make the teaching of the subject compulsory in all schools because of its
importance to healthful living.
Journal of Environmental Health, Vol.3, No. 1; March 2006
A Survey of Geohelminth Ova and Larvae on
Vegetables and Fruits Sold in Onitsha, Southeast
Nigeria.
James Ikechukwu Mbanugo , M.P.H, PH.D., MNSP, MSOSEH, MNES, MAPHA
Associate Professor of Environmental Health & Parasitology
Department of Parasitology & Entomology
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state Nigeria.
Ogochukwu Okoroudo, B.Sc.
Department of Parasitology & Entomology
Nnamdi Azikiwe University
A survey of vegetables and fruits sold in Onitsha markets, Southeast Nigeria was
carried out to determine the level of their contamination with ova and larvae of
geohelminths between October and December 2004. The vegetables and fruits
were bought from the sellers and examined for helminth ova and larvae using
formal-ether concentration technique. Of the 200 samples of fruits and vegetables
examined, 27 (13.5%) were positive for helminth ova and larvae with the
vegetables (17.0%) being more contaminated than the furits (10.0%), but the
difference was not statistically significant (P>.0.05). The contamination rates of
helminth ova and larvae found are: Ascaris lumbricoides (8.0%), Trichuris
trichiura (2.0%) and hookworm spp. (3.5%). The difference was statistically
significant (P<0.05). Amongst the vegetables surveyed, Letuca sativa had the
highest contamination rate of 40% while Telferiria occidentalis had the least
(7.5%). Amongst the fruits, Citrus sinensis had the highest contamination rate
(20.0%) while Carica papaya was uncontaminated. There were more
contaminations of the fruits and vegetables bought from Ose market, than other
markets. However, the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The
public health implications of these findings underscore the need to re-focus on
health promotion and health among the populance on the mode of transmission
of helminthic infections, environmental sanitation and eating habits.
To whom all correspondence should be addressed
Journal of Environmental Health, Vol.3, No. 1; March 2006
Socio-cultural Perspective of HIV/AIDS: Are our
Campuses Becoming a High-Risk Environment
and a Threat to Public Health?
Iyke Ndubisi Anyanwu, PhD
School of Science, Federal College of Education, P.M.B. 1041
Zaria, Kaduna State
e-mail: iykanyanwu@yahoo.com
Socio-cultural component of the environmental is identified as a dominant factor in the
transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). A successful containment of the elusive
deadly virus will therefore, hinge upon channeling sustained intervention efforts towards the
identified dominant high-risk behaviours responsible for HIV-transmission within and outside the
campuses. A campus survey suggests a high level of awareness rate (80.8%) among the
population towards HIV/AIDS information and its various modes of transmission. Unfortunately,
despite this level of awareness, large proportion of campus population still engage in risky
behaviour like maintaining multiple sex partners (47.8%), non-use of condom (52.4%), keeping
sugar daddies/mummies (67.5%), trading sex for favour (14.0%), and non-disclosure of HIV
status to partners (34.50%). Besides, the study also shows that 71.1% and 36.0% of the
students and staff relatives respectively, who are medically confirmed to be living with HIV/AIDS
are in higher institutions of learning or graduated from there. It is for this reason that health
promotion activities geared towards the control and prevention of HIV/AIDS to-date appear to
have little impact on behaviour patterns among the dominant youth population in our campus
environment who probably have a different perspective of health-risk likely fueled by the campus
culture. Therefore it is suggested that a more radical specific intervene including advocacy and
counseling be put in place to respond to the specific campus environment and campus culture so
as to stem the tide of HIV trend in our campuses.
Journal of Environmental Health, Vol.3, No. 1; March 2006
Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Infection in Bauchi Metropolis
Israel Asam Jideani, PhD* and Dorcas Ezekiel
Biological Sciences Programme, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
P. M. B. 0248, Bauchi, Nigeria
A total of three hundred (300) blood samples were collected in 2005 from two different locations
in Bauchi namely a Private Medical Diagnostics Laboratory (PMDL) and the Bauchi Specialist
Hospital (BSH). The blood samples were screened for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV). HIV positive samples were subjected to Enzyme Immuno Assay (EIA) test using Genie II
HIV test method. Also questionnaires were administered to the people of Bauchi metropolis to
ascertain their knowledge about HIV infection and its routes of transmission. Five blood samples
out of 100 from PMDL tested positive for HIV giving percentage prevalence of 5.00%. Nine
samples out of 200 from BSH tested positive for HIV giving a prevalence of 4.50%. The
prevalence of HIV infection in Bauchi metropolis was 4.66%. The distribution by age group and
sex showed that the age group 20-24 had the highest prevalence of 6.66% and females of that
age group had the highest prevalence of 4.0%. The population’s awareness showed that 93.61%
have heard about HIV infection and its route of transmission and 6.38% never heard about HIV
infection. Amazingly, 4.54% of both males and females of the population still do not believe in
HIV infection and its transmission.
Journal of Environmental Health, Vol.3, No. 1; March 2006
An Appraisal of Primary Health Care Implementation in
Nigeria
Abiodun Peter Bamigboye, FRSH, MSc
Department of Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences
Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Email: paobamigboye@yahoo.com
An appraisal of Primary Health Care (PHC) programme implementation in Nigeria
was carried out to consider possible improvement over a period of time using
some available data as the experiences from the field. Although PHC was intended
to bring improvement to health of Nigerians, the observed results were not
impressive, as service coverage could not match the expected improvement in
health over a period of seventeen (17) years of its implementation. Specific
problems were identified arising from a more fundamental management problem,
which constitute a major obstacle to effective performance. Addressing
management related problems in such a way that will provide a re-orientation for
PHC was suggested as a means of making the desirable outcome of PHC
realizable.
Journal of Environmental Health, Vol.3, No. 1; March 2006
Focusing on Environmental Health Component of Polio
Eradication Campaign in Nigeria: An overbearing reality
Augustine Ebisike mseh, MEM, BSc, Dip. PH
Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria
Federal Ministry of Environment Building, Plot 444 Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama Abuja.
E-mail: austinebisike@yahoo.co.uk
Mark Ebisike MPH, DPH, Cert.(HE)
Environmental Health Officer
Epidemiology Division, Public Health Department,
Federal Ministry of Health Abuja.
E-mail mcbisike@hotmail.com
Aniefiok Moses, FRSH, fseh
Public Health Dept, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja
Nigeria has taken active part in the polio eradication initiative (PEI) since its inception in 1988.
Despite the efforts made by governments and the donor agencies, the incidence of the disease in
Nigeria is on the increase judging by the number of wild poliovirus (WPV) still being detected. The
present effort to eradicate the disease focusing mainly on mass immunization of children under 5
years of age does not meet the desired result going by the figures of reported cases of the
disease in the country between 1996 – 2005. This is because the epidemiology of the disease is
indicative of a strong correlation with the environmental sanitation situation in the endemic areas.
This paper presents the epidemiology of poliomyelitis and the role the environment plays in its
continued transmission. The paper advocates for a change in strategy that would take a holistic
view of the control efforts including environmental control. It is also recommended that routine
immunisation should be strengthened, while all efforts should be made to improve and sustain
environmental sanitation and proper hygiene practices among the populace.
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