Open defecation can affect public health, puts productivity, economic growth at risk
Open defecation refers to the practice whereby people go out into fields, bushes, forests, open bodies of water, or other open spaces, rather than using the toilet, to defecate.
As Nigeria joins the international community to mark World Toilet Day on the 19th of November, Reckitt Benckiser (RB), makers of leading toilet cleaning brand, Harpic, has described open defecation as a great drawback to global public health safety and economic growth.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about 46 million people in Nigeria defecate in the open, with 56 million people estimated to be added to this open defecation crisis during the next ten years.
Dayanand Sriram, West Africa general manager Reckitt Benckiser said that Nigerians needed to join the world to end the menace of open defecation.
“It is important to know that, open defecation has become a global challenge to people, business and the environment. RB has always believed that societal challenges must be tackled head-on through a beneficial partnership between government and the private sector.”
“At RB, we are aware of the need to change the defecation narratives in Nigeria. That is why RB, in partnership with the Lagos Ministry of Environment, has been revamping public toilets in Lagos. I truly believe that such partnerships are the key to achieving a sustainable society” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Babatunde Durosimi Etti, commissioner, ministry of the Environment said the World Toilet Day is an important international observance dedicated to creating awareness and inspiring actions to combat the global sanitation challenges facing humanity.
“Since its declaration in 2013 as an Official United Nations international day by the world body, the day has become important for advocating sustainable sanitation practices, particularly in the area of Water Sanitation and Hygiene.”
“Without a doubt, the world is changing faster than we can imagine and the human population is increasing at an exponential rate. Therefore, there is urgent need to provide access to safe and sustainable sanitation systems that will effectively address the menace of open urination and open defecation as well as other sanitation crisis to prevent the widespread of diseases” he said.
Durosimi-Etti lauded that Lagos state is committed to ideals of Goal number 6 of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) which aims to achieve sanitation for all and end open defecation by ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for humanity by the year 2030.
He added that the implementation plan of the Lagos State Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) policy has reached the concluding stage and when finalised, it will ensure that sustainable sanitation systems are harnessed to mitigate open urination, defecation and other sanitation crisis in the State.
“On our part as advocates of clean and hygienic environment, it behoves us to join the global crusade, spread the awareness, inspire environmentally friendly actions and support in facilitating the provision of sustainable sanitation systems that will work in harmony with our ecosystems” he had said.
Similarly, Aliza Leferink marketing director, Reckitt Benckiser West Africa who quoted statistics from global agencies explained that the dangers of open defecation are too frightening to ignore.
“United Nations has it that open defecation can affect any one of us and it can lead to diarrhoea, typhoid and Cholera among other deadly health conditions, which could detract from economic growth and public health safety.”
“To highlight the terrible impact open defecation poses to the human population, World Health Organisation (WH0) also reported that diarrheal disease yearly kills 525,000 children globally,” she said.
United Nations declared November 19th as World Toilet Day to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis surrounding toilet facilities and open defecation. This year’s theme is “When Nature Calls.”
Expanding the theme of the event, Leferink said “RB believes that when nature calls, people should remember to use clean toilets, because passing faeces in open places can cause health challenges for us and for others.”
ANTHONIA OBOKOH