AN ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING CHOLERA OUTBREAKS IN MINNA, NIGER STATE

Most people in Minna, Niger State rely on untreated water from wells for their daily supply and intake while some have no or limited access to water and adequate sanitation facilities. These residents live under the threat of cholera. Approximately one hundred and ninety-nine cases of cholera were recorded during epidemic outbreak in Minna between 2010 and 2021. Hence, the thrust of this study is to analyse the risk factors to Cholera Outbreak in parts of Minna. Purposive sampling was used to select the neighborhoods in Minna. This study also designed a well-structured questionnaire to collect information on the risk factor causing Cholera outbreak in Minna. Field reconnaissance survey was used to identify the risk causing cholera in the study area. The risks were ranked on the field from severity 1 to 5. The risk factor causing cholera epidemic was determined by multiplying risk frequency with its severity level. Monthly cholera cases were also collected from General Hospital Minna between 2010 and 2021 and Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between cholera epidemic and average rainfall events from 2010 to 2021. The study revealed that the risk factors causing cholera epidemic were source of drinking water with mean risk value of 3.13, followed by mode of water treatment (3.04), refuse disposal /defecation (2.99) and source of food/fruits (2.95); implying that untreated well (open) water is the major cause of cholera epidemic in Minna. The study revealed that positive correlation (0.76) existed between cholera cases and monthly rainfall; implying that the spread of cholera is more during the rainy season and is high. The untreated well (open) water is the major factor causing cholera epidemic across in Minna and its severity is high. The study recommend that the well water should be treated with water guard at source before drinking especially during rainy season.