Assessing The Health Hazards Present in Open Air Markets and The Effects They Pose: A Case Study of Markets in Narok Town

Abstract

The growth of open-air markets has been on the rise both globally and locally. Narok town has also had its fair share of growth in open air markets. These open-air markets are, however, associated with various health hazards which end up posing a threat to the health of the people working in these markets and the environment at large. This study aimed at identifying the health hazards in the two major open-air markets, that is, ODM and Muthurwa open-air markets and the health effects they pose. The objectives for this were to determine the public health hazards and risks in these markets, how these hazards affect the health of people working in these open
air markets, to determine the levels of knowledge and awareness of public health standards and requirements among the market and to suggest possible recommendations on how to improve the working conditions in these open air markets. A self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the target population and was duly filled. From the results obtained from the study, it is evident that there is are public health hazards present in these markets which tend to affect the health of the people working in these markets and the environment to some extent. Although, a few people in the markets are aware of the public health standards in the markets, there is still inadequate information and different levels of awareness that need to be improved in these markets. The working conditions need to be improved to ensure the comfort of the people who work in these markets as well as those visiting the markets. This study concluded that these major open-air markets in Narok town face myriad challenges that need to be mitigated by
all the stakeholders associated with these markets to help reduce these hazards that affect the people working in them. It was recommended that similar studies be replicated in other open-air markets in the country to compare with the findings of this study.