A WaterAid study has shown that Nigeria is one of a handful of countries around the world where access to basic sanitation is falling rather than rising, with only 29% of its population having access to basic sanitation.
The study revealed that 25 per cent of the country’s population lack toilet facilities, while 31 per cent lack access to improved water sources, just as about 68,000 children under the age of five die from water, sanitation and hygiene related diseases.
WaterAid Country Representative, Dr Michael Ojo, speaking recently, said: “Increased competition for water resources and climate change are only exacerbating the crisis, which along with lack of sanitation is responsible for the deaths of more than 68,000 children under five each year in the country.
“Worldwide, more than 2.3 billion people still do not have access to basic sanitation, with devastating results. Some 315,000 children under five die each year of diarrhoeal diseases related to the lack of these basic rights.
And 50 per cent of malnutrition cases are linked to chronic diarrhoea caused by lack of clean water, good sanitation and good hygiene including hand washing with soap.”
Ojo further stated that Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are usually considered beyond the remit of a lot of other sectors, saying it a costly perception which hinders progress in achieving overall developmental goals.
According to him, the positive impact of interventions in many areas is often undermined by lack of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.
