Deputy Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Miles Sampa has said the world toilet day was an important event which celebrates the importance of sanitation and hygiene in the world.
Mr Sampa said the day was important because it supports efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of the nation to reduce the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015.
The Deputy Minister said this yesterday in his speech read on his behalf by Lima Ward Development Committee Chairman Felix Chiluba during the commemoration of world toilet day cerebration in George compound in Lusaka today.
Mr. Sampa said about 2.5 billion people globally lack access to improved sanitation adding that the world toilet day highlights a silent crisis which affects many less privileged people in society.
He said the international community recognises world toilet day every November 19, to advocate for those who need better sanitation.
He stressed that there was need to separate urban and peri-urban for people to fully understand the situation on the ground.
Mr. Sampa noted that according to the joint monitoring programme, the coverage of sanitation increased between 1990 and 2010 ading that more than half of the population in Zambia continue lacking access to improved sanitation.
“Millions of women and girls live without access to sanitation. There is significant impact on both their daily lives and their long-term prospects,” Mr. Sampa said.
And Village Water Zambia Coordinator Happy Nyasulu said the theme of this year’s world water day of ‘the rural meet the urban sanitation’ tries to equalise the rural and urban sanitation.
Mr. Nyasulu said although there was a tremendous move toward improving sanitation in rural areas, there also remains a great deal of work to be done in the urban areas particularly in narrowing the gap between various urban areas.
He disclosed that the disparities in sanitation services between those in low density urban areas and those in high density areas were remarkably alarming in Zambia.
He added that this was clearly manifested in the health differences of these two groups of people, especially with regard to diseases such as cholera and other diarrheal diseases.
“Lack of toilets is closely likened to the appearance of a number of diseases within communities and stops people from being able to live in a healthy condition and provide options to end poverty,” Mr. Nyasulu noted.
The picture must show them sitting on the toilets.
Very amusing. Celebrating toilet day when you dont have toilets!!!
Toilets situations in many public places in Zambia are utter chaotic! Sometimes you wonder whether those responsible for them or those using them are insane. No running water, no toilet paper, not cleaned, flies flying about, pew! After using them people soon go for hand shake to greet other people. More can be done to change toilets situations in Zambia, many times of which these toilets are not present where they are supposed to be. Just now its rainy season, aahha, God help us!
Are there any public toilets in lusaka? Where?
Kulainyelawilafye mu matoloshi.
go ahead
Atase!
happy toilet day ..mwanyenipo mukwai
Zambia, Zambia, stop wasting time celebrating for nothing, be practical and get rid of those pit latrines surrounding the capital then maybe you will have something to celebrate about. 50 years of independence you still have more than 50% of the population doing it in pit latrines and you celebrate!
ARE THE POLITICIANS NOT SUPPOSED TO DEMONSTRATE PRACTICALLY HOW
TO USE A TOILET.
ON MOST OCCASIONS THEY ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO DO SO
I.E LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONES. COME ON DEMO KAILI.
I doubt if they know how to use a toilet given the amount of shi t they publicly throw at each other
Well I guess since the country has been turned into a toilet by the panga and fist party then it is appropriate we commemorate toilet day.
A most needed awareness indeed. Africa still has a long way to go in this respect. We can’t blame the government for everything. Even people in villages where building materials for a pit latrine are practically free, are failing to build proper toilets for themselves. We have come a long way. We do well to educate ourselves to do better.
Of all things sure, Toilet day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! atase.
Celebrate Nkhana FC victory it will make sense.