1.3 Binary Relations
1.3.5 Closure Operations on Relations
The general objective of housing is shelter against adverse weather and climatic conditions, plus other hostile forces that may pose risk to human health. Both aim at fulfilling the fundamental human needs for healthy living and survival.
The concern requirements for portable water supply, safe disposal of waste including excreta, surface water drainage, safe food preparation and storage, personal and domestic hygiene, washing and general cleaning, structural safety, etc. are what charaterise urban and rural housing
3.6.1 Urban Housing
An urban area has been defined as a man-made environment encroaching and replacing a natural setting and having a relatively high concentration of people whose economic activity is largely non-agricultural. This definition does not include the rural village.
Urban housing, therefore, includes the pattern of settlements and the associated factors present in the environment that may increase the risk of or protect against communicable and non-communicable diseases, injuries and other environmental health hazards (WHO, 1991). In
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developing countries, rapid population growth and rate of rural urban migration have resulted in the emergence of slum settlements in the cities where most of the people live in filthy and pest-infested environments. A UN-HABITAT Survey on slums in 2001 revealed three (3) out of ten (10) urban residents lived in slum areas, with Africa habouring 71.9 per cent of the urban population as slum dwellers.
Statistics also show per cent of the world’s population are in the cities, but this figure is expected to rise to 2/3 by 2030. The developing countries harbour the fastest growing cities, and the fastest neighbourhoods are in the slums.
This scenario, according to experts, depicts grave health dangers, as the cities are the locus of extreme poverty and foci of disease transmission.
The inhabitants lack basic facilities, and services due to poor housing that make life miserable (UN-HABITAT, 2007; UN-HABITAT, 2005;
FNENV, 2005; WHO, 1991).
3.6.2 Rural Housing
The characteristics of rural housing are less complex than urban housing, owing to a number of factors that come into play, which include socio-cultural and economic factors. In a typical rural setting, traditional custom is a strong determinant of housing standards and characteristics. Rural housing differs markedly from urban housing in many respects, in terms of structural designs, construction and standards, as well as the uses by the residents. Unlike the urban settlements, rural housing is not based on planning because of a lack of planning and regulation of standards. However, the basic requirements for healthy living in both urban and rural housing are the same, e.g., water supply, basic sanitation, adequate space, ventilation/lighting, structural safety, etc. The only major difference between the two is the absence of community services and facilities in the neighbourhood and the hazard arrangement of the settlement in rural housing without planning (WHO, 1961).
Most countries, however, have minimum standards established for rural housing (Park, 2007). In the Nigerian context, the local government authorities have powers to make bye- laws for proper town and village planning, building regulations and implementation of housing policies, but these have been neglected.
4.0 CONCLUSION
In this unit we have examined the standards of housing and the minimum requirements of each segment in relation to environmental health practice. Two types of housing standards were enumerated, i.e.
191 desirability and target standards. Various elements such as ventilation, lighting, water requirements, toilets requirements, DPC, drainage requirement either it is open or closed drainages etc were examined and standard set for all. What is mentioned in this unit is a minimum requirement and depends on other factors. Sanitation authorities are at liberty to set new standards if studies in a particular environment show that this minimum standard is unacceptable due to prevailing circumstances. The requirements in urban and rural setting might differ on some issues such as on wastes and requirement for water supply as explained above. In rural environment, traditions and customs might force a slight shift in some circumstances. There is the need for an environmental health practitioner to be able to scan his/her environmental as an act appropriately without compromising the principles of the health promotion and protection.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit we defined “standards” as official norms (guiding principles) created and used for determining or regulating the conditions (physical and social) under which people can live without jeopardising their health. Therefore to achieve these standards, some basic criteria must be used to give a guide to people and enforcement personnel. These requirements must be provided for the inhabitants of any house or building. This unit discussed such standards and the basic requirements needed to ensure healthy living in the houses in relations to all human needs such as portable water requirement, toilet requirements, privacy, washings requirements, etc basically all there were aimed at fulfilling four key objectives of health to which public health programmes are directed, these are the prevention of premature death, the prevention of disease, illness and injury, the attainment of efficiency of living and the provision of comfort to the inhabitants. These standard set varies between the rural and urban areas. Therefore it is important to study the resources available in your environment and the socioeconomic situation of your people before enforcing these standards.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Assess the current provisions of health requirements in the house you live and compare with the standards in this unit and enumerate only five (5) deficiencies.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Amadi A. N. (2011). ABC of Environmental Health. Readon Publishers Ltd, in collaboration with Ugooma Printing and Publishing Co.
Nigeria Owerri, Imo State.
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Arokoyo, S. B. & Adeyemo A. M. (Eds).(2002). Perspective on Urban Development Planning and Management. Lagos: Amethyst &
Colleagues Publishers. pp. 243
FMENV (2005). Policy Guidelines on Sanitary Inspection of Premises.
Abuja:
FRN (1963). Public Health Laws cap.103, Laws of Eastern Nigeria, (wk 6 Sect of (a-n) (subsidiarylegislation part Ill Sanitation) sect. 42-63).
FRN (2007),.National Environmental Health Practice Regulations.
Official Gazette No. 21, Vol.94, Lagos.
Okorodudu, S. A. (2002). “Public Sector Housing Crisis in Nigerian Cities: Implications for Planning.” In: Arokoyo S. B. &
Adeyemo, A. M. (Eds). Lagos: Amethyst Colleagues Publishers.:
pp.219 226.
Ogu, B. C. (1991). Environmental Management in Nigeria: Issues, Concepts & Laws. Okigwe: FASMEN Communications. pp. 76-80.
Schaefer, M. (1987). Health Principles of Housing.World Health, WHO July pp.18-19. ‘
Sridhar, M. K. C. (2008). “The Role of Environmental Health in Achieving the MillenumDevelopment Goals in Health.” 5(2); pp.
94-102.
WHO (1967). “Appraisal of the Hygienic Quality of Housing and its environment.” Tech. Report Series No. 353; Genera.
WHO (2001), “Core Questions on Drinking Water & Sanitation for Household Survey.”
WHO (2004). “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Links to Health (WSH) Facts and Figures Updated.”
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