DEVELOPING AN ARCHITECTURAL FRAMEWORK TO REDUCE AIRBORNE DISEASE TRANSMISSION IN NIGERIAN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES: A PROPOSED AIRBORNE DISEASE TREATMENT AND RESEARCH CENTRE, AWKA.

Abstract

This study investigates the role of architectural spatial organization in reducing airborne disease transmission in Nigerian healthcare facilities through the proposal of an Airborne Disease Treatment and Research Centre in Awka, Anambra State. The research responds to persistent deficiencies in Nigerian healthcare infrastructure, including inadequate isolation facilities, poor ventilation systems, overcrowded circulation spaces, and weak infection prevention and control (IPC) measures that heighten infection risks during outbreaks such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, Ebola, and Lassa fever. The study aims to develop an architectural framework for optimizing spatial organization to reduce airborne disease transmission. The objectives were to identify functional spaces for containment, determine principles of zonal demarcation, evaluate hybrid ventilation strategies, and propose a design integrating clinical care with laboratory research. A qualitative research design employing Comparative Case Study (CCS) methodology and Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was adopted. Findings reveal that hierarchical zoning systems, unidirectional circulation, negative-pressure isolation rooms, and hybrid ventilation strategies significantly improve airborne pathogen containment. Passive bioclimatic strategies such as cross-ventilation, stack-effect ventilation, ecological courtyards, and North–South orientation achieved ventilation performance exceeding the recommended benchmark for isolation environments. The study proposes a climate-responsive biocontainment framework that contributes sustainable design guidelines for pandemic-resilient healthcare architecture in tropical developing regions.