Introduction
According to World Health Organization (W.H.O 2014), malaria is a mosquito – borne infectious disease of human and other animals caused by parasitic protozoan (a type of single cell micro-organism) of the plasmodium type. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue, vomiting and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause yellow skin, seizures, coma or death.
Commonly, the malaria disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. This bite introduces the parasite from the mosquito’s saliva into the person’s blood. The parasite then travel to the liver where they get mature and reproduce (Carabello 2014). Mosquito breed in dirty environment, water logged areas and drains that are not cleared; stagnant water and potholes. Such environment creates habitation for mosquito breeding.
According to the Federal Ministry of Environment Nigeria (2005); environmental sanitation constitutes the principles and practices of effecting healthful and hygienic conditions in the environment to promote public health and welfare, improve quality of life and ensure a sustainable environment. It is also a range of interventions designed to improve the management of excreta, silage, drainage and solid wastes.
The essential components of environmental sanitation are solid waste, food, medical waste management, pest and vector control, management of rural and urban drainage, vegetation control, hygienic education and promotion e.t.c. According to World Health Organization (2010), communicable diseases flourish where the environment fails to provide barriers against pathogens and the risks are increased by overcrowding and importation of pathogens to which people are not resistant and increase in vector population. A good environmental sanitation practiced in any community could help to reduce the spread of ailment like malaria.
Conceptual framework
According to Gollin (2010) malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that lives part of its life in human and part in mosquitoes. He further noted that malaria remains the major killer disease of the humans worldwide, threatening the lives of more than one-third of the world’s population; mostly poorest countries are at greater risk of malaria infection. According to Moses (2005) noted that environmental sanitation is the process of taming the environment so that it no longer constitutes hazards to man. Agreeing with him, Lucas and Giles (2010) described environmental sanitation as attempt at reducing the hazardous and hostile elements in the environment.
World Health Organization (W.H.O) 1997, observed that for one to enjoy good health, his surrounding must be safe from hazard and healthy. Oyesiku (1987) noted that Nigeria recognized the importance of environmental sanitation as an effective tool in health and economic improvement. Salau (2005) observed that environmental sanitation would promote the protection of human environment if adequately and religiously implemented at all levels of government.
Akinsola (2010) poor environmental sanitation condition has contributed significantly to high prevalence of communicable diseases in Nigeria. Carter (2012) malaria incidence in developing countries in largely attributed to poor environmental sanitation and low standard of living. Bradlin (2012) emphasized the importance of education in achieving the goals in environmental sanitation. He stressed strategies such as analysis, sensitization, information, education and motivation and indicated that these strategies would provide knowledge and would also change people’s attitude towards environmental sanitation.
Martins (1997) stated that lack of awareness about the causes of communicable diseases increases morbidity rate in Nigeria. Davis (2001) stated that sanitation is the primary barrier for controlling certain diseases. He also said that other measures must be adopted to avoid disease transmission such as removing or destroying infectious agents by disinfecting drinking water prior to consumption or preparation of food; cleaning hands, utensils, surfaces and surroundings thoroughly are interventions that will reduce disease transmission.
Uwem (2007) stated that poverty and illiteracy are identified causes of poor environmental sanitation. Murphy (2010) stated that lack of interest and awareness on relevance of environmental sanitation often lead to more reckless environmental behaviour. Louis (1996) noted that there is need for environmental sanitation campaign across the board; he further said that environmental education will enlighten not only those in the grassroots but all other citizenry, government agency, industries e.t.c.
According to World Development Report (1992) more than 2 million deaths and billions of illnesses such as typhoid, cholera, malaria, river blindness and guinea worm are attributed to water pollution and poor household hygiene. Nkonya (2004) noted that high literacy level is related to high level of environmental awareness. Stridhar (1999) asserted that the practice of environmental sanitation had tremendously improved public health status of most countries of the world.
According to Basil (2010) due to inadequate sanitary inspection of premises, many health hazards are not detected and abated. Golly (2008) observed that environmental sanitation in Nigeria is generally poor. He explained that according to the 2003 Nigeria Demography and Health Survey (NDHS 2003) infant mortality and child mortality have remained high at one hundred (100) per thousand (1000) livebirths respectively mainly due to diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and acute respiratory infections.
Ola (2008) stated that 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. According to Federal Ministry of Environment (2005) environmental sanitation has remained consistently poor in Nigeria for a long time. Katz (2012) stated that negative attitude of individual towards environmental sanitation is as result of not knowing its relevance in disease control and well being.
Babalola (2010) lamented over the declining environmental sanitation in Nigeria and appealed to all Nigerians to be involved in maintaining good sanitation in order to improve quality of life. Bradley (1994) stated that water management strategies have been successfully applied in South – East Asia to avoid or reduce breeding of malaria vectors in Riceland habitats, including intermittent irrigation.
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