The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stressed the urgent need for the Federal Government to address open defecation, saying that Nigerians stand the risk of contracting 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases NTDs.
According to UNICEF’s Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; WASH, Jane Bevan who said that about 200 million citizens are at risk of contracting NTDs, made this known at a two-day media dialogue in Lagos, tagged “Ending Open Defecation in Nigeria and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases”.
She said that many of the NTDs are transmitted through poor sanitation, noting that the continued practice of open defecation, poor hygiene, and lack of access to clean water significantly exacerbate the vulnerability of millions to these diseases.
“Unless we all practice safe sanitation and hygiene, there is a risk that we will all get more NTDs.
According to the WASH National Routine Mapping (WASHNORM), 47 million people in Nigeria practice open defecation, while only 18 percent of the population has access to safely managed sanitation services. Ebonyi State leads in open defecation rates, followed by Plateau State, while Zamfara State has the lowest rate.
Bevan said that practicing hand washing is perhaps the most affordable for Nigerians.
“We have been able to achieve 126 open defecation-free LGAs in the country and we are working hard to ensure more LGAs achieve open defecation-free (ODF) status,” she added.
To combat this crisis, UNICEF and it’s partners are intensifying efforts to end open defecation by 2030. This involves constructing sanitation facilities, implementing hygiene education programs, and engaging communities to promote behavioral change.
Bevan stressed that ending open defecation is crucial for reversing the trend of NTDs, adding that practicing handwashing is a simple yet effective way to prevent these diseases.
Also speaking, UNICEF WASH Specialist, Mr. Monday Johnson said Nigeria has the highest NTD burden in Africa and open defecation remained a significant contributor to the spread.
He listed some of the NTDs to include; onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH), among others are transmitted through contaminated soil and faeces, perpetuating a cycle of poverty, malnutrition, and ill health.
“By addressing open defecation, we can significantly reduce the transmission of NTDs, improved sanitation and hygiene practices can break the cycle of infection, protecting vulnerable populations, especially children and women”, he added.
Linking how open defecation fuels NTDs, Johnson said: “NTDs are a proxy for poverty which prevails among vulnerable and marginalized populations. NTDs and poor access to WASH contribute to a vicious cycle of poverty and disease. NTDs can lead to catastrophic health expenditure and reduced economy.
On what UNICEF is doing to end open defecation in Nigeria, Johnson said UNICEF works very closely with governments and the Clean Nigeria Campaign to make a difference on the issue of poor sanitation and open defecation in the country.
The National Coordinator of the Clean Nigeria Campaign, Chizoma Opara, acknowledged the challenges in achieving open defecation-free status by 2030, including infrastructure deficits, funding gaps, and weak policies.
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