THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DIARRHOEA AMONG CHILDREN IN BENIN CITY. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON BIOLOGY

THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DIARRHOEA AMONG CHILDREN IN BENIN CITY. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON BIOLOGY

ABSTRACT

This project took a look on the causes and effects of diarrhea among children in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. The research was carried out alone with other academic working in the school. The method used to collect data is questionnaire method, oral interview among NCE graduates in Ovia North East. Results showed that effect of diarrhea leads to fever among children, poor sanitary condition leads to diarrhea among children , eating of poorly prepared food leads to diarrhea among children, also lack of health education leads to spread of diarrhea, overcrowding can also lead to spread of diarrhea among children etc. recommendations included that; government should swing into action by providing various measures in other to prevent diarrhea infection in Benin City and Nigeria at large, our water should be treated properly with chlorine before drinking and batting with it.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Diarrhea is recognized as a major cause of child morbidity and mortality in developing countries (Banda et al., 2007; Gorter et al., 1998; Kosek, Bern, & Guerrant, 2003). It is the second leading cause of death among children under five years of age worldwide (BBS, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics UNICEF, United Nations Children’s Fund, 2007; Larson, Saha, Islam, & Roy, 2006). Global deaths from diarrhea among children aged less than five years were estimated at 1.87 million in 2004 (Boschi-Pinto, Velebit, & Shibuya, 2008; Candy, 1987; Chiller et al., 2006; Khan et al., 2004; Larson et al., 2006). Seventy percent of these deaths are concentrated in 15 developing countries. Nigeria is one of these 15 countries and diarrhea is responsible for sixty-nine thousands diarrheal deaths (Boschi-Pinto et al., 2008). Diarrheal disease is still a major health problem in Nigeria. The government of Nigeria states that diarrhea kills an estimated 25,000 people annually, mostly children (IRIN, 2008). On a daily average, 180-200 diarrhea patients were admitted to the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB) hospital (IRIN, 2008). According to the ICDDRB hospital’s statistical surveillance from 2004 to 2008, the total number of children with diarrhea in this hospital was 5596. An average of 1119 diarrhea children (under five) was admitted there annually. Causes of diarrhea were viruses, bacteria and parasites (Mishra, Gupta, & Yadav, 2004). Contaminated foods play a major role in the occurrence of diarrheal diseases. The transmission of infection occurs by direct contact with the agent, through oral–fecal transmission routes due to poor water quality, unhygienic behaviors, improper storage of food and inadequate sanitation practices (Halvorson, 2004). This may be because mothers lack of awareness about safe drinking water, hygiene practice, feeding children with hygienic food and defecation practices (IRIN, 2008).

Diarrhea is a disease that can be prevented by avoiding contacting with causative agents, but children under 5 years of age are unable to protect themselves from these agents.

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THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DIARRHOEA AMONG CHILDREN IN BENIN CITY. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON BIOLOGY