SANITATION FACILITIES AND DISEASES OCCURRENCE: A CASE STUDY OF MALARIA AND DIARRHEA IN ILE-IFE, OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Malaria and diarrhea are the two major diseases caused by paucity in environmental sanitation
facilities and practices. This study therefore seeks to examine the relationship between
environmental sanitation facilities and the occurrence of two major diseases (malaria and
diarrhea) in Ile-Ife with a view to assessing the available environmental sanitation facilities;
and its impact on the occurrence of malaria and diarrhea diseases in the study area in order to
suggest positive measures for improved environmental quality in the area. Data used for the
study were collected from primary and secondary sources. Multi-stage sampling technique was
employed for the study. Hence 228 households were sampled in 12 selected political wards
across the residential zones. This forms the sample size. Data analysis was done through the use
of tables, graphs and multivariate regression model through the SPSS package version 20. The
study revealed that almost all respondents practice environmental sanitation through monthly
sanitation exercise and dispose their waste in the community dump sites. It also revealed that
majority of the respondents' uses water closet toilet and open drainage system. It also shows that
the predominant means of waste storage before disposal was Bucket. Also, this study shows that
the environmental sanitation facilities in the study area are few and inaccessible; the available
once were not properly managed. Hence there is an urgent need for the government and
environmental sanitation agencies to intensify effort on the availability and accessibility of
environmental sanitation facilities in order to alleviate the occurrence of malaria and diarrhea
in the study area.