Due to the lack of toilet facilities in some public basic schools, many pupils and students are at risk of contracting communicable diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, and typhoid.
Because 26 percent of public basic schools are without toilet facilities. And as a result, students and pupils in those schools practice open defecation.
Aside from the health hazards, these students are exposed to the situation affects their academic performance because they will have to always boycott classes to attend nature’s call in the bush.
Yaw Attah Arhin, a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Technical Special at World Vision Ghana disclosed this to the media.
“When it comes to the WASH situation in schools, it is terrible. For 26 percent of public basic schools not having access to toilet facilities is unacceptable. It creates so many difficulties for the children in their education and health.”
He who said this during the inauguration of the Upper East Regional branch of the Media Coalition against Open Defecation (M-CODe), called on the government to immediately take steps to address the situation.
“I think the government needs to work with all the stakeholders to immediately address this”, he added.
In an inaugural speech, Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakuku appealed to Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to own WASH programmes.
“Officers who work to promote WASH activities should be seen as part of us and not an interruption to our work. In view of the urgency of environmental health issues, management of the MDAs should appear more cooperative in the facilitation of needed resources and logistics to WASH programs and equally intensify our monitoring activities to ensure that all activities are delivered according to standard.”
His speech was delivered by the Deputy Coordinating Director, Alhaji Ibrahim Habila.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga|Ghana
