Open defecation is serious problem in Ethiopia that causes environmental pollution, various diseases and finally leads to death. The country has taken some measurable actions to solve the problem over the past many years. Now, stakeholders are creating strong linkage with the government to achieve adequate sanitation, pure water supply and the like so as to ensure the nation’s sustainable development goal.
Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, and Chairperson of One Wash National Program (OWNP) Dr. Eng. Seleshi Bekele, said poor sanitation, shortage of toilets, and inadequate pure water supply are among the challenges Ethiopia has currently faced.
According to the Minister, 23 percent of children under the age of five die of diarrhea through contaminated water. In addition to this, the country has lost 13.5 Billion Birr each year through health problem. This accounts for 2.1 percent of country’s GDP.
The Ministry has been implementing sanitation program which reached to 200,000 residents in 23 towns including Addis Ababa city. Furthermore, India is best exemplary country with close to 1.3 billion people able to eradicate open defecation in short period through stakeholders’ campaign, he added.
On the other hand, each of the Federal sectors has been preparing their own five and ten years strategic plans that aimed at ensuring SDG while non-governmental organs will be involved through helping finance and technical support.
As to the Minister, it is expected to cover more than four billion seed planting in the coming summer for protecting water target areas and combating climate change.
One Wash National Program (OWNP) has started some years ago in Ethiopia that focused onto deliver pure water sanitation and hygiene for people in rural and urban areas of the country through affordable price. OWNP program was launched to ensure fair distribution of water among societies, build good sanitation system and cultivate healthy society in a sustainable manner.
Dr. Liya Kebede, State Minister of Health said that due to the existence of lack of awareness creation on societies, sanitation, and adequate toilets were serious problems in Ethiopia during the past many years. Due to this reason, numerous people have no access to pure water, proper sanitation system and toilets. However, communities’ attitude towards proper utilization of toilet is increasing from time to time. But, it does not mean that the country has attained the expected result.
Currently, 27 percent of the country uses open defecation while it is the main cause of diarrhea over children death under the age of five. It shows that the country should take strong measures on it.
According to Liya, the Ministry is engaged in working with mainly the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, and Ministry of Education so as to solve the problem especially stunting and maternal mortality in a sustainable manner. In this regard, preparation of Sanitation Marketing is underway to establish toilets for public, institutions, and households’ level.
Tsion Teklu, State Minister of Education on her part said that the Ministry has constructed over 2,200 toilets during the past one year in different states of the country. Out of these, 555 toilets are in Amhara, 126 in Tigray, 512 in Oromia, 730 in SNNP, 16 in Harari, 200 in Somalia, 11 in Gambella, 64 in Afar, 31 in Benihangul-Gumuz, and 22 in Dire-Dawa.
Since it is a pressing issue, the Ministry has established the toilets only in elementary schools. However, it has planned to continue its effort in pre elementary and high school levels.
According to Tsion, inadequate water supply, unsuitable toilets for women, and poor sanitation are some of the reasons that female students repeated absence from school until now.
On the other hand, stakeholders’ integration and sound commitment from the government have brought good opportunity to create new and clean Ethiopia that support the country to reach middle income economies, Tsion added.
The Ethiopian Herald November30, 2019
BY MESERET BEHAILU
