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
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.
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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
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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 postindependence 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
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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
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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
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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,
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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
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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.
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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
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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?
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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
Anambra State?
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.