Evaluation of Sanitation Infrastructure and Public Health Outcomes in Yola, Adamawa State

Sanitation infrastructure is a fundamental determinant of public health outcomes in urban areas, and its inadequacy continues to drive preventable disease burdens in Nigerian cities. This study evaluates the state of sanitation infrastructure and its relationship to public health outcomes in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State in North East Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, gathering data from 195 households across Yola North and Yola South local government areas through structured questionnaires addressing toilet facility type, waste water disposal, drainage access, and reported incidence of waterborne diseases. Physical sanitation assessments were conducted at community facilities including markets and schools. Officials from the Adamawa State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency and the Ministry of Health were interviewed on program coverage, funding levels, and public health surveillance data. Findings are expected to reveal high rates of open defecation in peripheral wards, limited access to sewer connections in older city areas, and a significant correlation between sanitation deficits and reported cholera and typhoid episodes. The study also examines community sanitation management structures and their effectiveness. Recommendations address expansion of the public sewerage network, promotion of improved latrine construction through government subsidies, enforcement of sanitation regulations in public facilities, and community-led total sanitation programs as a behavioral change strategy. Keywords: Sanitation infrastructure, Public health, Yola, Waterborne diseases, Urban service delivery.