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A study of the prevalence of Malaria parasites in pregnant women attending pre-natal care in Government hospitals in two major towns (Aba and Okigwe) in Southeast N geria was carried out. Blood was collected by vein puncture rom 500 pregnant women in different trimesters (300 from Aba and 200 from Okigwe) and 200 non-pregnant women, 100 from each town. Presence of Malaria parasite was observed microscopically on thin and thick blood smears prepared from each sample. Personal data were collected both orally and from maternity records of the women. The results were analysed statistical y using the Chi-square tes. Only the ring trophozoite and gametocyte forms of Plasmodium falciparum were observed in the infected samples. A total of 270 (54 %) pregnant women out of the 500 examined were infec ed with P. falciparum whi e 66(33 %) of the non-pregnant women sampled were infected. This represents a significant difference. Aba had 158 (52.6 %) out of the 300 pregnant women examined infected while Ok gwe had 112(56 %) of the 200 pregnant women examined infected. There was no sign ficant d f erence between the results obtained in the two towns. (P > 0 05). Peak prevalence was observed in the first trimester 64.1 % (100 out of 156) wh e 3 rd tr mester showed the lowest 45 % (68 of 150). Prevalence was also highest in primgraviidae and women in second pregnancy (67.96 %). Multiparous women (3 rd pregnancy and above) had 39.31 %. Age was significant. Anaemia (Hb. < 11g/dl) was observed in 385 (77 %) of the 500 pregnant women examined. Of the 270 in ected women 254(94.07 %) were anaemic. Anaemia was significantly higher in women with higher parastemia (Z.cal. = 9.06). The implicat ons of this result on the epidemiology of malaria are discussed.

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Major sources of employment and income generation for urban residents in Nigeria and most other developing countries are found in what is referred to as Home Based Enterprises (HBEs). In Nigeria, a wide range of economic activities fall within these enterprises. These enterprises provide residential neighbourhoods with a range of services. The HBEs face a number of operational problems. Using data from Aba, the major economic centre of Abia State, Nigeria, the paper demonstrates the heterogeneous nature of HBEs, highlights their job creation potential and shows that about 61% of the operators dispose of solid waste generated by their enterprises through other sources outside government waste collection containers.

Management of urban solid waste implies the collection, transfer, treatment recycle, reuse and disposal of such waste. Collection of urban household solid waste traditionally rests with government agencies designated with such responsibility. Solid waste collection begins from storage at the household level to the final treatment or disposal point and represents the most important aspect of urban solid waste management. Little has however been written on urban household solid waste collection in Nigeria. Using empirical data from three urban areas of Anambra State, Nigeria, the paper examines the place of informal private solid waste collectors in household solid waste collection. The ANOVA technique is used to test the null hypothesis that the sample means of the distance to designated community/street solid waste collection containers in the residential neighbourhoods of the three towns are equal. We conclude on household patronage of informal private solid waste collectors as against government provided community/street collection containers in the areas studied.

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