Abstract:
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a combination of procedures and methods that systematically judges and manages the effects of a policy on both the health of a population and the distribution
of those effects within the population. In Nigeria, open markets attract huge populations of buyers. These markets are numerous in each state of the country but largely share similar characteristics in poor hygiene and sanitation. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) was conducted at Shasha market, Oba-Ile, Akure to assess the health implication of patronage of open markets, an emerging public health concern. Air, water and selected food samples were taken for microbial analyses while soil samples from different spots in the market, and faecal samples from residents of the market community were also taken for parasitology following standard protocols. Physico-Chemical parameters of water and soil samples were also determined. Out of 73 faecal samples that were examined, 69 (94.52%) were positive. Hookworm Ova had the highest prevalence (40%) followed by Strongyloides stercoralis and Ascaris lumbricoides which were 33% and 27% respectively. The result also revealed that 95.83% of the collected soil samples were contaminated with helminth eggs and larvae including Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis and hookworms. Bacteria and fungi species found in the air, water and food samples include Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhi, Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium digitatum and Aspergillus niger. It was observed that tomatoes had the highest bacterial and fungal counts. Air sample at the centre of the market had the highest heterotrophic bacterial growth count (2.33×104). The market environment was highly contaminated with various stages of pathogenic organisms of public health importance and this predisposes the buyers and sellers to different communicable diseases. The market requires urgent attention by the concerned government authority in its management and sanitation.
