70 million people live in Cholera hot spots in Africa

Appropriate disposal of human waste is a basic requirement for sanitation, public health protection and good health and dignity. Executive Director of Kenya Water for Health Organisation, Patrick Alubbe said this recently in Nairobi, Kenya at a Water and Sanitation workshop organised by CSE, India, Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA)-Kenya and Kenya Water and Sanitation Civil Society Network (KEWASNET). Alubbe highlighted that most of the diseases which result in diarrhoea are spread by pathogens (diseases causing organisms) found in human excreta. He said there should be improved sanitation and efficient use of flush toilet, pour flush toilet connected to a pipe system, septic tank, VIP latrines and covered pit latrines. He said this should be utilised by using improved technologies including; specific infrastructure, methods or services designed to contain and transform products or to transport products to another functional group as well as dry toilet for reuse. Very soon, Africa will be overtaking India, as the region with the world’s largest population that defecates in the open Alubbe said that it is important for the African region to promote innovative technologies in sanitation. He said that a significant amount of disease could be prevented through better access to adequate sanitation facilities and better hygiene practices. “Improved sanitation facilities, for example toilets and latrines, allow people to dispose of their waste, appropriately which helps break the infection cycle of many diseases,” he said. He said that providing access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and promoting proper hygiene behaviour are important in reducing the burden of disease from sanitation and hygiene-related diseases.