Oyo State Government in partnership with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed its readiness to put an end to open defecation across the state in order to attain universal sanitation standard.
Addressing journalists and other stakeholders at a one-day media dialogue on the launch of Open Defecation Free roadmap in Oyo State held in Ibadan, the Chief of WASH, UNICEF, Dr. Jane Baevan said Nigeria ranks second among countries practicing open defecation globally and Oyo State is one of the states where it is mostly practised.
Dr. Baevan said open defecation is dangerous especially as contact between human waste and water can cause diseases like cholera, typhoid and diarrhea among others.
She said UNICEF has been at the forefront of ensuring that Nigeria has access to safe drinking water supply, adequate sanitation and proper hygiene in different environments and communities.
Dr. Baevan added that the launch of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Nigeria and Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign are strategies to jump-start Oyo State’s journey towards ending open defecation.
Also speaking, the Chairman, RUWASSA, Mr. Najim Omirinde hinted that the campaign will prevent the increasing number of open defecation in the state, while it will also stop children from being affected by the negative impact of the exercise.
“The campaign to end open defecation in Oyo State will reach the whole population in Oyo State, he said.
He called for collaboration among stakeholders like media, government and UNICEF on raising awareness on the negative impacts of open defecation.