ABSTRACT
This study set out to investigate the perception of environmental
health workers on the implementation of components of environmental sanitation
in Anambra State. The investigation was carried out using questionnaire survey
research design. In line with the objectives of the study, eight research
questions and two null hypotheses were formulated based on the selected eight
components of environmental sanitation. The target population consisted of one
hundred and eighty two environmental health workers in the employment of
Anambra State Government. The entire one hundred and eighty-two environmental
health workers were used as the sample for the study. Questionnaire was the
instrument used for data collection. Validity was ensured through critical
examination by experts in Public Health. Reliability was established using test
re-test method and correlation coefficient of 0.86 was attained. The means of
the weighted scores of the questionnaire items of the selected eight components
of environmental sanitation were used to answer the research questions.
Decision rule was that any questionnaire item whose mean and grand mean
respectively were below 2.50 indicated improper implementation, while any
questionnaire item whose mean and grand mean were 2.50 and above indicated
proper implementation. The t-test statistics was used to test the null
hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The following were the major
findings: Sanitary inspection of premises as well as solid waste management
among others were not properly implemented as the mean of each item and grand
mean of each of the components fell below 2.50. There was also no significant
difference in the mean weighted scores of the male and female, urban and rural
environmental health workers. The researcher inferred that the components have
not been properly implemented in Anambra State. Necessary conclusions and
recommendations were therefore made.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
of the study
Anambra State as part
of Nigeria adopted environmental sanitation to promote human and environmental
health (Federal Ministry of Environment, 2005). However, the state of the
environment of Anambra State speaks poorly about the objectives of
environmental sanitation being achieved (Anyaeji, 2005). Anyaeji (2005)
observed that environmental sanitation in Anambra State is generally poor.
Kriesel (1990) observed that people are producing health nuisances more than
they are abating them. In the words of Eke (1983) the environment of Anambra
State continues to degenerate, deteriorate and degrade.
Environmental
sanitation, according to Ogbalu (1997), is a process of taming the environment
so that it no longer constitutes a hazard to man. The components of
environmental sanitation are Solid waste management, Medical waste 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, Weed and vegetation control, Hygiene education and
promotion (F.M.E. 2005). Jamison (1993) stated that the components of
environmental sanitation are part of wellness approach to life. Sridhar (1999)
asserted that the practice of environmental sanitation had tremendously
improved public health status of most countries of the world.
Various opinions have
been expressed on the need to practice environmental sanitation to ensure a
sustainable environment (F.M.E.,2005) . This is because according to Davis
(1969) and Ogbalu (1997) whatever happens to the environment affects those
within it. F.M.E (2005) asserted that the alarming rate at which heaps of solid
wastes occupy most of Nigerian cities constituted visual blight, odour nuisance
and provided favourable breeding grounds for vectors of many diseases. Obionu
(1987) noted that due to inadequate sanitary inspection of premises, many
health hazards are not detected and abated. The World Health Organisation (WHO
1993) is also concerned about poor sanitation in member countries. In a
resolution by the regional committee for Africa during the forty-third session,
stated in its document AFR (RC43) RS of 7th September, 1993, that:
It is expedient to affirm that proper sanitation and sound waste management are
crucial in the promotion and protection of human health and the environment,
both of which are necessary for sustainable development.
United States Agency for International
Development (USAID, 1999) informed that deficiencies in pest and vector
control, food sanitation, school sanitation, market and abattoir sanitation,
adequate potable water supply and sewage management contribute significantly to
the continuing high rate of sanitation related diseases. WHO (1997) noted that
there is a relationship between improper implementation of components of
environmental sanitation and sanitation related diseases. Udoh (1981) in a
study conducted in South West of Nigeria using research survey method on the
provision of healthful living environment in elementary schools found
out that most schools lacked basic sanitation facilities.
The historical
perspective of efforts to improve environmental sanitation in Nigeria was given
by the Federal Ministry of Environment in 2005. It stated that culturally,
certain norms guided the maintenance of adequate sanitation in the communities.
For instance, women and children, particularly the girls sweep the
homes/surroundings and empty refuse bins. There are also cultural festivals
that emphasize cleanliness in various communities and many such festivals still
persist today. During the pre-independence era (1900-1960) adequate sanitation
was maintained by enforcement of Public Health Laws through routine house to
house inspection, while in the immediate post-independence era (1961-1980)
legislation and authority on environmental sanitation were derived from the
Nigeria Constitution as stated in the concurrent, executive and residual lists.
In the current dispensation (1981 to date), all tiers of government have
developed legislative/regulatory instrument to further address the issue of
sanitation. Also at various times, there was creation of several state and
Local Government Agencies responsible for sanitation and lately, the creation
of the Federal Ministry of Environment in 1999.
Despite all these
efforts Sridhar (1999) observed that environmental sanitation in Nigeria is
generally poor. According to the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Surrey
(NDHS, 2003) infant mortality and child mortality have remained high at one
hundred (100) and two hundred and one (201) per thousand (1000) live births
respectively mainly due to diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and acute respiratory
infections. In addition, about 50% of Nigerians suffer at least one acute
episode of malaria every year with grave socio-economic implications in terms
of productivity and cost of medications.
The launching of the
National Policy on Environmental Sanitation was aimed at improving public
health and welfare, improve quality of life and to ensure a sustainable
environment (F.M.E. 2005). Anyaeji (2005) observed that these objectives are
not being achieved. The study of perception of environmental health workers on
the implementation of components of environmental sanitation in Anambra State
of Nigeria seeks to find out the true situation of environmental sanitation in
Anambra State since the proper implementation of the components would be
justified by the state of the environment. The researcher believed that the
environmental health workers’ perception of the implementation of components of
environmental sanitation in Anambra State would be reliable and the true nature
of environmental sanitation in Anambra State since as skilled professionals
they are well informed about the national policy on environmental sanitation
and the implementation of the policy in Anambra State.
Advanced Learners
Dictionary defined perception as the way people notice things especially with
the senses, the ability to understand the true nature of something.
Environmental health workers in addition to their natural senses, are trained
and equipped with techniques of their job and are therefore better subjects to
respond on the implementation of the components of environmental sanitation in
Anambra State. These environmental health
workers are working in Anambra State Government.
They consist
of both male and female, young and old officers with relative
experiences.
Statement
of the problem
There is a National
Policy on environmental sanitation (F.M.E. 2005). We are aware that Anambra
State Government adopted and initiated programme on environmental sanitation
based on that policy. Even though there is improved awareness on sanitation
through public health education on the radio and print media since the present
administration, it seems the programme is not working according to the policy.
Solid waste management, Sanitary inspection of premises, Sewage management,
Market and abattoir sanitation, Pest and vector control, School sanitation,
Food sanitation and Adequate potable water supply are still difficult and
problematic to come by. Sanitation, which prevents diseases, cuts across every
sphere of our daily activities and deserves proper implementation. According to
F.M.E (2005) the poor environmental sanitation condition has contributed
significantly to high prevalence of communicable diseases in Nigeria. That
human and environmental health are dwindling despite our efforts to ensure a
sustainable environment and promote human and environmental health seems not
easily understood. Since environmental sanitation possesses those components
with objectives that would promote public health and welfare, improve quality
of life and ensure a sustainable environment, the researcher believes that
environmental sanitation may not have been implemented as stipulated in the
national policy on environmental sanitation. That the environment is unfriendly and one of
man’s greatest enemy is a source of worry to the researcher. These have
agitated the mind of the researcher to ask the following questions:
Are the components of
environmental sanitation been properly implemented in Anambra State? What is
the perception of environmental health workers on the implementation of the
components? Does the state of our environment suggest that the components are
properly implemented?
The study therefore
sought to find out the true situation of the components of environmental
sanitation in Anambra State of Nigeria.
Purpose
of the study
The main purpose of the study was to
investigate the implementation of components of environmental sanitation in
Anambra State. Specifically, the investigation sought to:
1.
ascertain the perception of environmental
health workers on the
implementation of solid waste management in Anambra State,
2.
determine the perception of environmental
health workers on the implementation of sanitary inspection of premises in
Anambra State,
3.
find out the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of sewage management in Anambra State,
4.
ascertain the perception of environmental
health workers on the implementation of market and abattoir sanitation in
Anambra State,
5.
determine the perception of environmental
health workers on the
implementation of pest and vector control in Anambra State,
6.
find out the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of school sanitation in Anambra State,
7.
ascertain the perception of environmental
health workers on the implementation of food sanitation in Anambra State,
8.
determine the perception of environmental
health workers on the implementation of adequate potable water supply in
Anambra State,
9.
ascertain the perception of male and female
environmental health workers on the implementation of the selected eight components
of environmental sanitation in
Anambra State,
10.
find out the perception of urban and rural
environmental health workers on the implementation of the selected eight
components of environmental sanitation in Anambra State.
Significance
of the study
1.
The findings on solid waste management would
enable government to know the problems facing its implementation and therefore
help environmental health workers and the people to participate actively to
keep our environment clean.
2.
The findings on sanitary inspection of premises
would provide reasons why environmental health workers no longer carry out
sanitary inspection of premises to detect and abate nuisances and the need for
government to meet these needs.
3.
The findings on sewage management would create
awareness on the dangers of improper disposal of excreta and sewage so that people would provide
adequate number and type of excreta and sewage facilities best suited to their
environment.
4.
The findings on market and abattoir sanitation
would show the situation of sanitation in our markets and abattoirs and the
need for government to provide materials, equipment and funds to up date these facilities.
5.
The findings on pest and vector control would
enable government discover the significance of providing funds and equipment in
environmental health offices for the control of pests and vectors of diseases
in human environment.
6.
The findings on school sanitation would help
the government discover the advantages inherent in enforcing the standards
required in schools on sanitation so as to ensure teaching and learning.
7.
The findings on food sanitation would inform
the public on the need to eat wholesome food, protect their food from
contamination and ensure proper selection of quality food stuff.
8.
The findings on adequate potable water supply
would inform the people of the importance of adequate potable water in the
maintenance of environmental sanitation and thereby encourage every body to
participate in its provision.
9.
The result of the study would be useful to the
government and its agencies in discovering the importance of planning
adequately for environmental sanitation facilities equipment personnel, reward
and other materials that would encourage the workers.
10.
The findings of
this study would
give government in
Anambra
State and Nigeria insight into why environmental sanitation should be properly
implemented.
Scope
of the study
The study was in Anambra State and
included only the environmental health departments in the twenty-one (21) local
government areas and Ministry of Environment Awka. The male and female
environmental health workers in all the offices of environmental health were
chosen as respondents. That was because as professionals with adequate skill
and knowledge they are better equipped to inform on the practices and education
of the people on the policy. The study was delimited to the implementation of
components of environmental sanitation because the steps outlined for the
implementation of the components were carefully structured to achieve the
desired objectives. They are namely:
i.
Solid waste management,
ii.
medical waste management,
iii.
excreta and sewage management,
iv.
food sanitation,
v.
sanitary inspection of premises,
vi.
market and abattoir sanitation,
vii.
adequate potable water supply,
viii.
school sanitation,
ix.
pest and vector control,
x.
management of urban drainage,
xi.
control of reared and stray animals,
xii.
weed and vegetation control and
xiii.
hygiene education and promotion.
Out of the fourteen components of
environmental sanitation, eight were used in this study because the National
Policy on Environmental Sanitation 2005 (P25, 6.2) provided that the implementation
of the policy shall focus on the following key areas of environmental sanitation.
They are:
1.
Solid waste management,
2.
sanitary inspection of premises,
3.
sewage management,
4.
market and abattoir sanitation,
5.
pest and vector control,
6.
school sanitation,
7.
food sanitation and
8.
adequate potable water supply.
Other variables such as urban and rural local government areas formed
significant area of the scope.
Research
questions
The study was on the implementation of
components of environmental sanitation in Anambra State. To achieve this, the
following research questions were asked:
1.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of solid waste management in Anambra State?
2.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of sanitary inspection of premises in Anambra
State?
3.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of sewage management in Anambra State?
4.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of market and abattoir sanitation in Anambra
State?
5.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of pest and vector control in Anambra State?
6.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of school sanitation in Anambra State?
7.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation food sanitation in Anambra State?
8.
What is the perception of environmental health
workers on the implementation of adequate potable water supply in
9.
What is the perception of male and female environmental health
workers on the
implementation of components
of environmental
sanitation in Anambra State?
10. What is the perception of urban and rural environmental
health workers on the
implementation of components
of environmental sanitation in Anambra State?
Hypotheses
The
following null hypotheses were postulated for the purpose of this study and
tested at 0.05 significant level:
1.
There will no significant difference in the
mean perception of male and female environmental health workers on the
implementation of selected eight components of environmental sanitation in
Anambra State.
2.
There will be no significant difference ion the
mean perception of environmental health workers on the implementation of
selected eight components of environmental sanitation in Anambra State based on
the location of local government areas.
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Item Type: Project Material | Size: 118 pages | Chapters: 1-5
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