Unsanitary toilets still remain a health concern
Quality toilets are one of the key requirements that makes a home complete, yet in many homesteads in Tanzania this is not taken into consideration.
The coverage of improved latrines in Tanzania remains low with many homes and public places lacking proper toilets despite the health and sanitation hazard that the situation poses to the community.
To date, five in 10 Tanzanians continue to use unsanitary latrines - the majority being simple pits that are not easy to keep clean.
Whereas they provide limited privacy, they do not break the chain of transmission of germs that cause several serious illnesses such as diarrhoea.
It is also estimated that about 5 million Tanzanians do not use a latrine at all, and practice open defecation which further complicates the entire process.
National Bureau of Statistic findings of 2016 puts the number between 16 – 19 per cent as those who have access to quality toilets in Tanzania whereas some 15 to 30 per cent use soap to wash their hands after easing themselves.
What’s being done
A national campaign that targets to change community behaviour on the use of quality toilets among Tanzanian communities kicks off in Morogoro under the theme ‘Usiichukulie Poa’ (Don’t take it casually), an initiative that brings together several stake holders in the health and sanitation sector.
According to the Programme manager Mr Appolinary Macha the ‘Usiichukulie Poa’ campaign builds on ongoing efforts that address the sanitation and hygiene issue in the Tanzania through the Mtu ni Afya Campaign and the National Sanitation Campaign Phase 1 that was implemented between 2012 and 2016.
Now in its second phase (2017 – 2021) the initiative targets behavioral change towards use of improving toilets in homesteads.
The initiative, therefore, targets the general public to make them appreciate that for a human being’s life and home to be complete he needs a quality toilet, as opposed to the mindset that certain things such as cars, houses, smart phones and dressing as part of modernity.
Sport stadiums deserve improved toilets
Heading toward the launch in Morogoro, the campaign has also targeted improving toilets in two football stadiums (Kinesi and Bandari) in Dar es Salaam which are currently hosting the Ndondo Cup.
Organisers say that these stadiums have been selected as part of their initiative because they represent the state of toilets in most football grounds in Tanzania.
“Many of these grounds in the country do not have toilets, even the ones that are there are rarely cleaned, yet thousands throng these venues to watch popular sports such as soccer,” he said.
He added: Because we are part of the Ndondo Cup tournament it would be quite unbecoming for us to associate ourselves with venues that do not have quality toilets.
The toilets according to him do not mirror the beautiful game and the thousands of the fans that come to these ground in search for entertainment.
“As part of the initiative’s contribution we have decided to uplift the toilets in these grounds, something that we hope that will please the fans who go there to watch the game,” he said.
But as the campaign gets underway authorities admit that there is still a long way to go to achieve the ambitious goal of ending open defecation and ensuring every Tanzanian uses an improved toilet and washes hands with soap thereafter.
