ABSTRACT
The coronavrrus disease, popularly known as COVID-19, is a new infectious disease and Nigeria is one of the 213 countnes and territories affected by its pandemic. The pandemic has practically affected every sector of the economy with substantial impacts and implications. The current waste management practice at all health care and isolation centres dunng this period also calls for concern. This paper focuses on the effects of COVID-19 on Waste Management Practices, the Nigeria Economy, and the Way Forward. Responses at the three tiers of government are identified;the involvement of private and public sectors with the role of international orgamzations, donors, public participation, and the impact of religion on COVID-19 response in Nigeria are also considered. The implications on Sustainable Development Goals. Agriculture, Manufacturing, Trade, Mining and Quarrying, and Education Sectors are discussed. SWOT analysis of waste management processes in Nigeria during the pandemic is presented. Based on the study, it is recommended that concerted effort on the part of the government be focused on maximizing welfare policy programs that would erase the sufferings of the people as regards access to primary health care and other social infrastructure that could enhance peoples' living standard Effective responses and recovery plans in the short-, medium and long-term should also be prioritized and consider the pandemic's different dimensions, as a measure to grow truly necessary extraordinary change toward a sustainable society. © 2022 American Institute of Physics Inc.. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Globally, access to safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) services play an essential role in safeguarding the health and well-being of individuals and communities. This study focuses on the assessment of WaSH Practices in Ogun State, Nigeria. A survey was carried out with a total of 500 questionnaires administered evenly in 5 selected Local Governments Areas (LGAs) based on population, landmass, spatial location, and distribution. The convenience sampling technique was used to select locations within the study areas. The evaluation of WaSH practices was based on the availability of treated water, methods of waste disposal, sanitation and hygiene-related facilities, and awareness program in the communities, respectively. The result shows that 61.2 % of the respondents have access to treated water. Thirty-six percent of the respondents agreed to the use of open dumping system for their waste disposal, 24.6% use collection trucks while the rest bury or burn their wastes. Forty-five percent of the respondents are unaware and unexposed to hygienic conditions. The WaSH standard attained by these communities implies an average healthy living standard for the people, which complies with the data obtained from health centers showing the rate of compliance associated with WaSH related ailments. The results of this study provide useful information on the consequences of poor hygiene practices and sanitation facilities for both residents and authorities. The data can serve as a blueprint to government or private organizations working towards upgrading standard of WaSH practices, which would assist in providing appropriate facilities towards enforcing safe hygiene practices at all levels against the spread of the current global pandemic-COVID-19.