The Influence of Environmental Sanitation Programme on the Lives of the People: a Case Study of Igbara-odo Local Government Area of Ekiti State
CHAPTER ONE
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to investigate the “MODUS OPERAND” of the Igbara Odo experiment with a view of identifying our alternative strategy for the lasting solution to our persisting environmental health problems towards achieving health for all by 2010 AD.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
In the area of health education, the so much neglected environmental sanitation by the public has become a topical subject and an issue of serious concern world wide in recent time. (Nigeria inclusive) for the purpose of this project, the researcher’s main focus of environmental review includes the following aspects of environmental sanitation.
- Concepts of environmental sanitation
- Scope of the environmental sanitation programme.
- Major causes of poor environment sanitation condition.
- Effects of the environmental health sanitary hazards and
- Different approaches to the control of the in-sanitary environmental conditions in Nigeria.
CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION
Several definition have been advanced for the term environment sanitation by different health personnel or agent but all have been found to convey the same message. The world health organization (W .H .O.) (1976) for instance, define environmental sanitation as the control of those factors in mans environment, which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical development, health and survival
WHO, expert committee on training health personnel in health education of the public.
Technical report, Geneva, 1976, page 8.
Similarly, Eboigbodin (1988), define environmental sanitation as the science and art of training the elements in mans physical surrounding to enhance his health.
He further asserted that environmental sanitation really came about through mans desire to live comfortably rather than health consideration. In support of this assertion, he further stated that to live in a sanitary environment man has to construct and protect his surrounding in order to conform to the rules of public health 2. This he further noted, involves impute of finances or resources which have become scarce and even unavailable due to the present economic recession. On this note, he concluded that the standard of living of people in a community in most cases, directly influences the level of sanitation of their environment. In the researcher opinion these two fore-going definition seem to be defective in the sense that they failed to mention those factors or elements in mans environment which enhances the individuals health or exercises or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical development, health and survival.
CHAPTER THREE
The researcher’s central motive in this project work is to investigate the impact of the currently environmental sanitation programme by ‘Mass participation’ in Igbara Odo L.G.A. on the physical, psychological, sociological and economical life of the people.
Igbara Odo L.G.A. is made up of many quarters namely;
- Inipa quarters
- Owoda quarters
- Idasa quarters
- Oke Igbala quarters
- Iloro quarters
Each of these quarters is divided in sub-unit for the purpose of the environmental sanitation exercise. The chapter is specifically concerned with the methods employed in collection of data, population selection and sampling techniques, instrumentation and their administration as well as data analysis techniques.
RESEARCH POPULATION
The research population in this project comprises different sets of people in the entire Igbara Odo L.G.A. in terms of age, sex and occupation for accuracy and validity of the result. These include male and female, elders, adults, youths and children. A total of one hundred (100) people were used for the purpose of collecting effective information for the investigation. The population sample in each quarter is dependent on the numerical strength of the sub-units. However, at least twenty (20) respondents were selected from sub-units.
CHAPTER FOUR
The purpose of this chapter is present results arising from this study. The data for the study had been possible through the structured questionnaires techniques and supported by the oral interviews and the researcher’s practical experience. The results of the analysis of respondents’ responses are presented in accordance with the assumptions listed in chapter one and the finding discussed. The main focus of this study is to determine the influence of environmental sanitation programme in Igbara Odo L.G.A. in Ekiti State. Already, there is the assertion that the environmental sanitation in Igbara Odo is that of mass community action by volution.
The confirmation of this assertion is very indispensable in the this study, hence the questionnaire extends to establishment certain facts about the history and nature of this programme in the community.
The objectivity of the researcher’s findings was quite evident because all the questionnaire administered to the sampled groups were completed and returned accordingly.
ABOUT THE HISTORY AND NATURE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION
In Igbara Odo L.G.A. though most of the respondents agreed that the present sanitation exercise approach appeal by the Femi Ariyo military regime, it was equally gathered that the programme did not take of at the same time in all the Local Government Areas of the state.
Some imbibed the new spirit only later. The reason for this may not be far-fetched. From the interviews made and from the researchers personal exercise, the present approach differs significantly from the former practice in the community as would be revealed later in the findings. The practice of the old as earlier reveal by Akwubuzor in the literature review was that it was the sole responsibility of only the non-tilted citizens in the community who are traditional military into keep the entire community in a decent standard.
No wonder, there was some delay in the take off of the environmental sanitation programme in some of the quarters. In the literature review to Sonwu highlighted some of the initial problems in the initial take off as including resistance to changer.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
This study was carried out to investigate the influences of the environmental sanitation programme on the lives of the people of Igbara Odo L.G.A. of Ekiti State.
Igbara Odo L.G.A. is an urban community, which has been identified to have adopted a new approach to the tackling of the environmental sanitation health problems by mass community action through self-help.
In the introductory chapter, the investigator revealed how far creation of man has been striving to control his environment, but, this has been very difficult to achieve because man himself has often turned back to pollute the same environment. Hence, he has been struggling relentlessly to free himself from the dragon headed problems he has caused himself.
The environmental health problems have now so grown out of proportion that is become a global topical issue of serious concern in recent times, since the recent several strategies adopted by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and various governments towards findings a lasting solution to these health problems have not bee able to terminate the root causes of the problems, it then become the zeal of the researcher to investigate the new environmental sanitation approach in Igbara Odo L.G.A. It is noteworthy that all the while, the general emphasis has been on the towns and cities.
The study is significant in the sense that the results findings would make various government and health organs explore this alternative means of working health practice real to the people without much cost. In order to achieve health for all by the year 2020. The following specific problems were investigated:
- Ascertaining the history and nature of the environmental sanitation programme in Igbara Odo L.G.A.
- Whether the environmental sanitation programme has got any significant psychological impact on the lives of the people.
- Whether the environmental sanitation programme has got nay significant influence on the economic development of the community
- Whether the sanitation programme has got any significant influence sociological development of the community
It was a descriptive study in which the survey research method was mostly employed.
Since it involves gathering of data from the different research units, with a very wide population, the random sampling techniques as used.
The research instrument includes questionnaire, oral interviews, documentary, evidences, laboratories and participant observation.
In chapter four, a critical analysis of the raw data was then undertaken, the result arising from the study were also presented for discussion. From the discussions which were validated by the data from the literature review and from the researchers personal experiences some findings were made. Finally, conclusion were drawn up and recommendation made.
CONCLUSION
The following conclusions and results were drawn from the findings of the study:
- That there indeed exist in Igbara Odo L.G.A. of Ekiti State a new and dynamic programme on environmental sanitation capable of brining a lasting solution to the present, environmental health problems.
- That it is a mass community action approach through the development of local new materials and human elements.
- That the sanitation programme in Igbara Odo L.G.A has indeed contributed much towards the physical development of the community
- That the new sanitation programme has significantly made some psychological impact of the life of the people.
- That the new sanitation programme in Igbara Odo has contributed greatly towards the sociological development of the community.
- That the sanitation programme in Igbara Odo has contributed significantly towards the economic development of the community.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings and conclusion drawn from the study, the following recommendations have been advanced towards making health practice real to the people at a very minimal cost.
- The public enlightenment campaign on environmental health should be intensified more urban level. This is imperative because there are evidences that the root causes of the environmental health problems, stem from ignorance and cultural practice of the society.
- Environmental education should be introduced at all level of education. This is to enable individuals especially children grow up with the understanding of the environment. In terms of interrelationship among organism and between man and his impact on the physical environment.
- On matters concerning attitude and cultural practice motivational techniques such as conviction, encouragement and self-mutative should always be utilized to the fullest in place of strict sanction for a design desired change. As in the case of the previous sanitation approaches in the country.
- The enforcement of sanitation should be the sole responsibility of the people themselves.
- Every community should evaluate the Igbara Odo experiment whereby the environmental health care decliner is the responsibility of all and sundry. Therefore, children of tender age should be involved in keeping their surrounding clean in order to catch them young ‘towards health for all by the year 2020. this is important because it is highly believed that habits formed early in life are often emitted in later life.
- Development of local raw materials would really go a long way in minimizing cost and making health practice real to the people.
- The various community leader and officials of the said local sanitation task force. Should be appointed on voluntary service to liaise with the environmental sanitation. Authority in order to enhance free flow of information as regards sanitation problems in their areas.
- Government should provide sanitary task force with all necessary assistance in terms of publicity, enlightenment and provision of alternatives (refuse bins/in creators).
- The local task force should observe an annual sanitation week activity to include lecturers, guest speakers and the health related drama as in the case of Igbara Odo Local Government Area.
- Government should boldly and fully seek and utilize the advisory service of the organizers of the Igbara Odo experiment in planning and implementation sanitation programme.
- Finally, government should come with some incentives for the community for this unique initiative in order to sustain their interest and as well serve as motivational factors for others to emulate.
REFERENCES
- Adeyemi Y (1984) Environmental Pollution Threat to Sanitation Programme Public Health. The Guardian, September.
- Fabiyi, A. K. (1968) “Traditional and Environmental Sanitation” Nigeria Medical Journal Vol. 1, No. 3.
- Eboigbodin, O. Tony (1988) “Economic Recession and Sanitation in Benin City. Health Light: A. B Annual Journal of National Association of Public Health Students, School of Health Technology, Benin City.
- Egenege, J. Anidu, (1987) “environmental Hazard, effects on man and possible control,” A paper presented at the sanitation week grand finale at Ute-Ogbeje, 24th October.
- Huntly W. L. (1974) Personal and Community Health Nurse Aid. Series 22nd Ed London.
- Jenne, F. and Green, W. (1976) Turners school Health and Health Education, The C. V. Mosby Company, St Louis.
- Nwadian, Mon, (1988) lecture notes on educational planning and administration (unpublished), E. Ed programme Uniben, December.
- Okeh Y. O, (1988) “comparative Health Education” (unpublished) lecture notes, Uniben, Benin City, August.
- Purdon W. P. (1971) “Environmental Health” academic press incorporated New York.
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