ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of environmental sanitation in the control of malaria in Ekosodin Community. The study was guided by four research questions. Responses were elicited from the respondents using a self-structured questionnaire made up of 20 items.

The Descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study and the population covers all the rural area dwellers in the Ekosodin community in Ovia north east local government area of Edo state. The sample size of 80 was achieved using the simple random sampling technique. The collection of data was carried out through the administration of structured questionnaire on 80 respondents. The data were analyzed, tabulated, interpreted and then discussed. Percentage and frequency were adopted as a method of data analysis.

The findings of the study therefore clearly revealed that Ekosodin community have a good knowledge about malaria, they have low level of practice measures to control mosquito in their surroundings as poor drainage construction, lack of adequate bush clearing were identified to be prevalent, the Community practice on environmental sanitation revealed that their practice of environmental sanitation was negative as the results indicated that just a few number of residents engaged in environmental sanitation practices. Following the findings of the study, the researcher recommends below; there should be increased sensitization about the negative effect of mosquitoes in the environment, health education programmers should be organized to enlighten the community members on importance of environmental sanitation practice in the prevention and control of malaria, community leaders should ensure community participation in environmental sanitation practice in Ekosodin Community.