Maryann Ogoamaka Ezugwu^1,, Joshua Ebong Eyibio¹, Fredrick W. Ngubi²

Comparative studies of water-related diseases and the quality of borehole drinking water sources in Okada town were conducted. This is to ascertain the level of water-related disease outbreaks associated with the quality of drinking borehole water sources in Okada residents to prevent an epidemic of waterborne diseases. Primary data on water-related diseases treated at the Teaching Hospital of Igbinedion University (IUTH) and the Parent Consultative Forum (PCF) clinics, both in Okada Town, Edo State, Nigeria, were obtained for a period of four years from 2019 to 2022. Secondary data of 25 borehole drinking water quality variables in Okada were obtained from published journals. A statistical data package in Excel was used to collate the obtained results. Results of thirty-one (31) borehole water quality variables from published journals were also collated. Twenty–seven (27) of the water quality parameters are within the threshold value recommended for drinking purposes, while 4 of the variables exceeded the recommended value for drinking purposes. The related water diseases treated in the clinics include malaria, gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, scabies, hypertension, poliomyelitis, hepatitis, and meningitis. Malaria recorded the highest frequency of cases, about 1629. Annual related water disease cases within the study area are estimated at 600, with an average annual population of 174197. Statistical analysis of the population for the cases of water-related diseases showed that 0.34% of the population was affected. This revealed that the level of water-related diseases may not be associated with groundwater drinking sources. Related water diseases were higher during the rainy season than in the dry season because of the increase in breeding spaces for mosquitoes. Awareness and enlightenment programs should be organised within the community on how to combat malaria. Environmental hygiene and sanitation of the community should be upheld to reduce exposure to these diseases. Ingestion of contaminated food and water should also be avoided.

Hospitals, Water Quality, Typhoid, Population, Epidermic