Public Health Implication of Sand Fly Infestation in Ozuaha Community Ikwerre Local Government Area Rivers State

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume V, Issue XI, November 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Public Health Implication of Sand Fly Infestation in Ozuaha Community Ikwerre Local Government Area Rivers State

Vivian K. Kpugi¹, Aaron, Imaemugh R.I², Ogbuehi, Desmond³, Emmanuel, C. Success⁴, Dike, Blessed O.P^5
1,2,3,4School of Environmental Health Technology, Rivers State College Of Health Science and Management Technology, Portharcourt, Nigeria
⁵School of Medical Imaging Technology, Rivers state college of health science and Management Technology, Portharcourt, Nigeria

ABSTRACT:- This study was carried out to find out the “Public Health Implication of Sand Fly Infestation in Ozuaha Community in Ikwerre Local Government Area. The objectives of this study was to determine the actual presence of the sand flies, to identify the group of individual that are mainly affected, to identify the various health effects of the sand flies in the community in Ozuaha Community Ikwerre Local Government Area Rivers State. A non-probability sampling method was used as the sampling technique and descriptive survey was used as design. Data was collected by the use of questionnaire and was self-administered to the respondents. The target population was two hundred and forty (240) and the research sampled all. The findings state that the use of mosquito coils, wearing of long sleeves shirts, use of ceiling fans, blocking of openings are know preventive meassures. Conclusion was drawn after the findings that the measures used in the control of sand flies in Ozuaha community are inadequate to totally solve the problem. That the awareness of the control measures in Ozuaha community is lacking, ignorance, social status and cultural insensitivity persist in the community. Recommendation were made that monthly environmental sanitation exercise should be carried out or enforced in Ozuaha community. The government should subscribe and provides the appropriate drugs required to treat sand fly fever inOzuaha community. Finally, the government and health workers should carryout awareness / enlightenment campaign on sand flies control programs in Ozuaha community.

Keywords: Public Health, Sand Fly, Infestation, Ozuaha

INTRODUCTION

Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are small-sized hairy gnats or midges, measuring from 1.5 to about 4mm in length (Ready, 2013). Sand flies are minute biting insects in the order dipteral, which in clutters the true flies, “sand flies is not a technical term, but rather a common name applied to a very diverse groups of fies (Encyclopodia, May 2010). They occur throughout the tropics and sub-tropical countries as well asin temperate zone. They are vectors of leishmaniasis, a vector borne disease endangering some 350 million people in 88 countries, most of them in poorer region of the globe (Orshan, et al., 2010).

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