Cholera: Let’s Focus On Open Defecation

At this time every year, the nation battles the outbreak of water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis and others. As at the last count, not less than 22 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), are presently facing the latest outbreak of cholera in the country which has caused no less than 816 deaths according to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
Experts have described cholera as a preventable and treatable epidemic -prone disease which is transmitted by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. And one major cause of water contamination in Nigeria is open defecation. The huge human wastes that daily go into the seas, rivers and lagoons going by reports, is quite alarming. Little wonder in October 2019, Nigeria became the number one open defecation nation globally, passing India. It is estimated that 50 million Nigerians (or 10 million households) defecate in the open.
In bushes, in schools, fields and classrooms, in uncompleted buildings, at dumps, walkways, under bridges, excreta are a common sight. It is not unusual to see someone hawking food item drop the item at a corner of the road or close to drainage, bend down, and pull down his underwear to answer the call of nature; neither is it strange to see a commuter bus pull out from the highway for the passengers to excrete at a nearby bush.
Let’s not talk about what obtains in some of our higher institutions of learning and public secondary schools where open defecation is almost a norm. Students are compelled to excrete in polythene bags and dispose of it in dustbins on the streets or the bush either due to lack of water supply, poorly managed toilet facilities or outright non availability of toilet facilities.
At the airports, markets, motor parks and other public places, the situation is not too different. Although, most times, there are public toilets in these places, some people still prefer excreting in the open, thereby polluting the entire environment.  A typical example is the “prestigious” Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.  This is arguably one of the best airports in the country. In terms of neatness, especially inside and at the tarmac, it is next to none. But just move towards the car park and the whole place reeks of urine and decaying faecal matters.
This abysmal attitude obviously, is not peculiar to rural or urban dwellers nor can it be attributed solely to poverty or lack of toilet facilities. I have not forgotten an experience at a workshop recently where all the participants made up of top civil servants, media executives, heads of schools, and other top people in the society gave affirmative responses to the moderator’s question of if there were any of the participants who had not defecated openly before. Some even narrated how they enjoy the natural breeze that caresses them while defecating in the open.
In a bid to tackle the menace, President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2019 signed Executive Order 009 to end open defecation in the country by 2025. Titled “The Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order 2019,” Part of the Executive Order says, “There is established in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources a National Secretariat called ‘Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat.’
“The secretariat is authorised on behalf of the President to implement this Order by ensuring that all public places including schools, hotels, filling stations, places of worship, market places, hospitals and offices have accessible toilets and latrines within their premises.”
Two years down the road, has anything changed? At the coming into being of the order many questions were asked by some Nigerians which are still relevant today – How realistic is it for the nation to eradicate this problem in the next four years, as the federal government targets? What plans are there to adequately provide these facilities before 2025? What are the established mechanisms of monitoring the use of existing public toilets and the ones yet to be established?
Again, many people resort to open defecation due to lack of water for flushing. Should we therefore not make water available to the citizens first of all, for our dream of ending open defecation to be a reality? There is also the issue of unstable water tables which makes digging of toilets in some places very difficult and expensive. Was this factored into the plan to rid the nation of open defecation in the next couple of years?
Without these challenges being addressed, the idea of eradicating open defecation in the country in 2025 might just go the way of other unrealistic national campaigns. State governments should also toe the line of the federal government by prioritizing the issues surrounding water, sanitation and hygiene which will ultimately make the drive for no open defecation smooth and fruitful.
 It is also imperative that Nigerians be educated and sensitized regularly on the dangers of open defecation and importance of proper hygiene because apparently, many do not know and some who are aware prefer the unwholesome attitude.
Meanwhile, while the government is expected to intensify efforts in their role towards solving the problem of open defecation in the country, shouldn’t we as the citizens complement the government’s effort by dropping our primitive lifestyles that make us defecate anyhow, anywhere? Shouldn’t we be more committed in taking care of the few available toilet facilities in our offices, worship centers, shopping malls and other public places? Is it not time we improved on our personal hygiene and good sanitation habits? Should we not consider the restoration of the culture of sanitary inspection in both rural and urban areas as critical measures to prevent cholera cases and outbreaks?
The NCDC has urged everyone to be aware of the risk of the disease and adhere to some precautionary measures to ensure safety including boiling and storing of water in a clean and safe container before drinking; preparing, cooking and storing food safely; washing hands frequently with soap under clean running water especially after defecation and before handling food or eating and avoid open defecation and indiscriminate refuse dumping which contribute to the spread of cholera.
It will be in the interest of everyone and all states to take these measures seriously to check the spread of this disease. Remember, no state is immune. 

By: Calista Ezeaku