Poor Slaughterhouse Waste Management: Empirical Evidences from Nigeria and Implications on Achieving Millennium Development Goals

The compounding contribution of slaughterhouse wastes to waste management problems in developing countries is likely to continue into the future considering the growing quest for animal protein. Adequate knowledge and practice of waste management among slaughterhouse workers can help limit the associated effects of poor disposal on access to safe water, environmental sustainability and quality of life which are core areas of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Data on knowledge, attitudes and practices of waste management of 390 randomly selected slaughterhouse workers in Nigeria were collected and analyzed using multiple regression statistics. The results reveal that the majority of the respondents had poor attitudes (75.6%) and practices (97.4%) of proper waste management, though 51.5% demonstrated good knowledge. While 51.3% knew that slaughterhouse wastes are related to diseases, 75.4% were unconcerned that poor management could be major public health and environmental hazards and 74.4% discharged slaughterhouse wastewater into surrounding streams. Gender, education and work experience were significantly associated with good knowledge (p <0.05). These poor attitudes and practices have negative implications on environmental health conditions, access to safe water and quality of life. Therefore, addressing poor slaughterhouse waste management issues in developing countriesbecomes imperative to making achieving the MDGs a reality.Key words: Environment, Health, Slaughterhouse waste, Millennium Development Goals, Nigeri

Predictors of Bovine TB Risk Behaviour amongst Meat Handlers in Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study Guided by the Health Belief Model

Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) is still a serious public health threat in developing countries. The aim of this study is to determine the social and cognitive factors predicting one of the risk behaviours amongst meat handlers in Nigeria, namely, eating Fuku Elegusi. This is the practice of eating the visibly infected parts of the lung in-order to convince customers to buy meat. The study is guided by the health belief model (HBM).This is a cross-sectional study of 349 randomly selected meat handlers in Oko-Oba Abattoir, in Lagos State. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis were employed to determine perceptions and prevalence of risk behaviours and to identify predictors of eating Fuku Elegusi.Just over a quarter (28.1%) of the study participants knew that eating Fuku Elegusi could be a source of bTB in humans. The prevalence of eating Fuku Elegusi was found to be 22%. Across all knowledge indicators related to bTB, those who don't eat Fuku Elegusi exhibited better knowledge. Strong predictors of eating Fuku Elegusi were: being male (OR: 2.39, 95% CI: 1.10 to 5.19; p = 0.03), not knowing that eating Fuku Elegusi exposes to bTB (OR: 3.72, 95% CI: 1.69 to 8.22; p = 0.001), and the perception that one cannot sell meat without tasting it (perceived barrier) (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.60; p = 0.001). Lower risk of eating Fuku Elegusi was predicted by perceived susceptibility to bTB due to another risk behaviour, namely, not washing hands after handling meat (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.96; p-value = 0.021). Television and radio were the most acceptable media for TB prevention messages (78.5% and 75.6% respectively).Meat handlers in developing countries bear high risk to bTB owing to prevailing social and cognition determinants. Findings were largely consistent with the propositions of HBM

Brucellosis in trade cattle in Lagos state: An investigation of two Abattoirs

No Abstract

Public health issues and observations made during meat inspection at Bodija Municipal Abattoir, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

No Abstract.Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol. 29 (2) 2008: pp. 43-4

Zoonotic risks and transmission of Mycobacteria species from cows\' milk and slaughtered cattle to man in Ibadan: Role of butchers

No Abstract.Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol. 29 (1) 2008: pp. 30-3

Short Communication: Brucella Abortus Antibodies in The Sera of Indigenous and Exotic Avian Species In Nigeria

No Abstrac