Northwest Nigeria is frequently beset with inadequate water supply. The safety of drinking water to the
people in this part of the country has been of major concern as a result of frequently reported
incidences of waterborne infections. To ascertain incidences of waterborne infections in this study,
patient medical records in several primary health care centres in Sokoto, Shuni and Tambuwal towns in
Northwest Nigeria were examined to collect data on incidences of waterborne infections and bio-data of
the patients. Simple statistical analysis (Percentage) of collated data was carried out. The records
showed that there are high incidences of waterborne infections namely typhoid, cholera, dysentery,
diarrhoea and gastroenteritis in the three towns, and that these are more frequent in children below the
age of 5 years. Gender distribution of diarrhoea and dysentery cases in 2004 and 2005 showed on
average that more female than male residents contracted the infections. The number of cases of
waterborne infections in the three towns increased from 10.03% in 2004 to 14.14% in 2005. Diarrhoea,
constituting 6.23% in 2004 and 10.04% in 2005 was the most commonly reported cases of waterborne
infection in the three towns. Shuni recorded the highest (8.95%) incidences of diarrhoea infection in
2004, followed by Tambuwal (6.23%) and Sokoto had the least (4.81%) while in 2005 Sokoto had the
highest (11.99%) followed by Tambuwal (10.23%) and Shuni had the least (7.55%). Pre-study
investigations have shown that people in this part of the country lack wholesome drinking water,
government should therefore endeavour to make potable water abundant and accessible to its people.