The Influence Of Environmental Sanitation Practices And Hygiene On The Incidence Of Diarrhoea – The Case Of Koforidua Municipality, Ghana

A case-control study was done using a convenience sample of 100 pairs of mothers and children (less than five years old) divided into two groups; the first group made of children with diarrhoea and their mothers (case group) and the second group made up of mothers and children who did not have diarrhoea (control). A structured interview schedule and review of routine data were used to collect data. Only 12.5% of children less than six months in the case group were exclusively being breastfed compared with 75% of the control group. 56% of the cases used water from unprotected wells for domestic activity while 70% of the control group used pipe- borne water. Also 24% of the case group did not cover stored water while 76% of the control group covered stored water. This demonstrated poor food and water safety. Only 10% of cases had access to flushing water closets for human excreta disposal while the remaining 90% either used pit latrines or disposal into surrounding bushes. It was recommended that good amenities for the disposal of refuse in the communities be provided by the government and the delivery of pipe-borne water be made more regular to the inhabitants Further, appropriate education in simple language is to be offered by health personnel especially at Ante-Natal Clinic and on radio stations and mothers are to be encouraged to put into practice what they learn about the treatment and prevention of diarrhoea.African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 10 (1) 2009: pp. 56-6