At least 2.5 billion people across the globe have no household latrines and are resorting to open defecation. The figure according to stakeholders in sanitation possesses serious challenge on human development in the world.
About 15 percent of the Ghana’s total population has access to safe latrines and 23 percent uses the public toilet.
Seventy two percent of the total population in the northern region defecates openly with only 5 percent having access to safe latrines, 23 percent of the population share latrines. The Northern Regional Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Rex Jakpa reveals this on Zaa Morning Show Wednesday on the occasion of World Toilet Day.
He described the situation as very bad and urged the public to live in healthy environments for healthy life.
A co-panelist of the program and a member of Ghana Wash Alliance, Erick Chimsi urged the public to join stakeholder’s efforts towards achieving open defecation free objective in the region.
According to Mr. Eric, a number of diseases reported to the hospitals in the region are associated with poor sanitation and the effect on families, communities and the nation as a whole is beyond anybodies imagination.
He therefore called for the need to create awareness within communities and people on the importance of proper sanitation practices. Mr. Eric added that the filth that engulfed the communities accounts for a good number of sickness especially, among children and encourages the public to help improve sanitation in the region.
Meanwhile, some Residents in the Tamale Metropolis who spoke to Zaa News called on the public to desist from open defecation in order to improve sanitation in the region.
They lamented over how some people defecate at the back of other people’s houses without recourse to health implications on inhabitants.
They also expressed worry over the inconvenience and improper management of public toilets in the region, and urge landlords to always consider in-house toilet in their building plans to avoid people defecating openly. They believe, the lack of household’s latrines and poor management of the public toilets in the region are encouraging the people to engage in bad sanitation practices.
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