Assessment of Sanitary Conditions and Environmental Health Risks in Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria

The protracted insurgency in North East Nigeria has resulted in large-scale internal displacement, with significant implications for the environmental health of displaced populations. This study assessed sanitary conditions and environmental health risks in two internally displaced persons camps in Yola, Adamawa State. A cross-sectional survey involving 320 household representatives was conducted alongside a facility assessment of water supply, sanitation, shelter, waste management, and vector control measures. Findings revealed that the toilet-to-population ratio in both camps exceeded 1:40, falling below the SPHERE humanitarian standard of 1:20. Open defecation was practised by twenty-nine percent of camp residents due to inadequate facilities. Safe water access was limited to six hours per day, and only forty-six percent of surveyed households reported treating water before drinking. Refuse collection occurred irregularly, leading to accumulation in communal spaces. Mosquito breeding sites were identified in sixty-eight percent of assessed areas. Diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections accounted for the majority of health complaints at camp medical posts. Children under five and elderly residents were identified as most vulnerable. The study highlights critical gaps in humanitarian sanitation standards and recommends immediate facility expansion, water trucking schedules, vector control measures, and integration of environmental health officers within camp management structures. Keywords: internally displaced persons, sanitation, humanitarian standards, Adamawa, environmental health.