Physician Wants Proper Waste Disposal

A Consultant Community Physician, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Dr. Best Ordinioha, has described improper human waste disposal as environmental hazard that has continued to be a problem not only in Nigeria but in the entire Africa.

Delivering a lecture titled “The effect of environmental pollution on human health in Africa, at a forum in Port Harcourt recently, Ordinioha stated that “one million tons of human faeces are produced each day in the world and the World Health Organisation (WHO) expects every household to have a sanitation facility within 50 meters of their residence, to ensure proper containment of this dangerous waste.

“Yet, three billion people are without a proper sanitation facility, including several people in Africa”.

He condemned the over hung toilet used in most water side settlements, noting that a toilet is only considered good enough when it is a private facility, not shared by more than five households, and can prevent excreta-related diseases.

He disclosed that studies have shown that poor disposal of human waste is directly or indirectly responsible for at least two million deaths every year, while improved water supply and toilet are capable of reducing the cases of diarrhea by as much as 65 per cent and child death by 55 per cent.

Ordinioha who is also Senior Lecturer at University of Port Harcourt (Uniport) enumerated the health implications of poor solid waste management which include proliferation of vectors and pests, generation of toxic fumes, radiological contamination of ground water, generation of air-borne allergens and pathogens that trigger asthmatic attacks, among others.

Other environmental problems in Africa according to him are inadequate housing, air pollution, noise pollution, unsatiable waterneeds.

He alerted that the neglect of these problems could be very disastrous both to the environment, individuals and the nation as a whole.

He therefore called for the collective effort of all – individuals, organizations, groups, companies, churches and government towards solving the problem.

He advocated that public toilets should be built in churches, public buildings to discourage open defecation.

Government should also provide safe water and other facilities for the people, he said.

Calista Ezeaku