EFFECTS OF HYGIENE PRACTICES IN THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WATER BORNE DISEASES IN KOKO, WARRI NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, DELTA STATE

Waterborne diseases remain a major global public health issue and a great environmental concern and the outbreak is common in African countries. Illness due to waterborne diseases causes morbidity and mortality in less developed countries among children aged below 5 years. The unavailability of piped water and dependence of rural dwellers on surface waters which are often contaminated with fecal materials are the major causes of the rising prevalence of waterborne diseases. Poor hygienic practices have also been found to play significant role in the spread of waterborne diseases. Besides, poor environmental practices such as lack of sanitation facilities encourages spread of liquid and solid wastes within residential areas contributing to the increasing waterborne illness. Improvements in drinking water, sanitation facilities and hygiene practices in less developed countries have been suggested by many studies as key interventions to reduce waterborne diseases. This cross sectional observatory study was carried out with a total of 462 volunteers to identify the strategies for enhancing the hygiene practices needed by water vendors in Public Places in Koko, Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State. Data were collected using a structured 25-item questionnaire and the results show that most of the participants (97.8%) washed hands after contact/daily activities. Among them, 76.8% washed their hands always. Regarding hand hygiene after removal of hand gloves, 87.3% used to follow hand hygiene and, out of them, 69.9% used to follow it always. Those who always follow the six steps of handwashing were just 47.1%. Those who received special training against water borne disease (51.7%) were just a little above average while those who always wash fruits before eating were merely 38.8%. Hygiene practice and knowledge of Water borne diseases being one of the simplest and effective practice to prevent infections, compliance and knowledge are still poor. From this study, it has been established that a combination of three factors: awareness of water borne diseases, recourse to time, inculcation of habit in busy schedules and forgetfulness probably due to conditioned reflex play dominant role in hygiene and prevention of water borne diseases. The implication of these findings is that water-borne diseases may linger for a long while in the region as most respondents are more interested in what the government and the community can do than self-willingness to take the challenge of improving hygiene. It is therefore recommended that health interventions to control and reverse the poor knowledge of the causes and consequences of water borne diseases in the area and ways to impart general and targeted health education, structured hygiene training, and the expansion of water sanitation programs be implemented, especially in rural areas, to bridge the knowledge- practice gap and promote sustained behavioral change.