Here’s some good news for Nigeria: fewer people are defecating in public, opting to use a toilet instead.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that UNICEF Communication Specialist Geoffery Njoku revealed this in Abuja on Wednesday as the world celebrates World Environment Day.
In a statement, Njoku linked the reduction in public defecation to reduced incidences of diarrhea.
“Open defecation causes contamination to water bodies and is a serious threat to public health, especially during flooding.
“We know that by improving sanitation, we can improve child survival as well as the environment,” it said.
Public defecation is a major problem in Nigeria. A report by the Water and Sanitation Programme published last year revealed that Nigeria loses N455 billion annually due to poor sanitation.
The report also stated that “approximately 121,800 Nigerians, including 87,100 children under 5, die each year from diarrhea – nearly 90% of which is directly attributed to poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).”
The UNICEF official on Wednesday noticed a drop in the number of children suffering from Diarrhea and credits a Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach for raising awareness and improving the sanitation situation in rural areas.
“CLTS is a process of engaging with the community members ranging from individuals to schools and traditional leaders to empower them to address their sanitation situation by ending open defecation.
“It is also the use of toilets constructed by locally available materials.”
The statement reported “more than 4,000 open defecation-free” communities, with more than 2.5 million people now using toilets. Last year, the Water and Sanitation Programme reported that 32 million Nigerians were guilty of public defecation.
UNICEF hopes with more support from the government and intensified awareness programs, more Nigerians will live in open defecation-free communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that UNICEF Communication Specialist Geoffery Njoku revealed this in Abuja on Wednesday as the world celebrates World Environment Day.In a statement, Njoku linked the reduction in public defecation to reduced incidences of diarrhea.
“Open defecation causes contamination to water bodies and is a serious threat to public health, especially during flooding.
“We know that by improving sanitation, we can improve child survival as well as the environment,” it said.
Public defecation is a major problem in Nigeria. A report by the Water and Sanitation Programme published last year revealed that Nigeria loses N455 billion annually due to poor sanitation.
The report also stated that “approximately 121,800 Nigerians, including 87,100 children under 5, die each year from diarrhea – nearly 90% of which is directly attributed to poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).”
The UNICEF official on Wednesday noticed a drop in the number of children suffering from Diarrhea and credits a Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach for raising awareness and improving the sanitation situation in rural areas.
“CLTS is a process of engaging with the community members ranging from individuals to schools and traditional leaders to empower them to address their sanitation situation by ending open defecation.
“It is also the use of toilets constructed by locally available materials.”
The statement reported “more than 4,000 open defecation-free” communities, with more than 2.5 million people now using toilets. Last year, the Water and Sanitation Programme reported that 32 million Nigerians were guilty of public defecation.
UNICEF hopes with more support from the government and intensified awareness programs, more Nigerians will live in open defecation-free communities.
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