North Central
accounts for highest Open Defecation zone in Nigeria – UNICEF
The report has indicated that, out of 47 million Nigerians that
defecate in open places, 16 million of such people are living in the North
Central part of Nigeria.
The report also added that 1 in 4 persons in Nigeria
defecates in the open while 1 in 2 person of those that defecates in open
places come from North Central Nigeria.
Another zone with high rate of open defecation that ranks
second to North -Central in Open Defecation is the South West Zone which
according to the study has a population of 28.0% that practice open defecation.
High populations of about 22.4% in the South- West are also
engaged in Open Defecation practices, while the North East and North West have
a total of 21.8% and 10.3% respectively.
The South -South according to the study has the least
percentage of people practicing Open Defecation with just 17.9%.
UNICEF has also explained that there are Health Economic and
Social implications of Open Defecation on the population of a country,
stressing that Open Defecation leads to poor health, low productivity, low
economy, social stigma and exposure to danger.
According to UNICEF, an estimated 122,000 Nigerians
including 87,000 children under the ages of five die of diarrhea
as a result of unwholesome hygiene
practices that are preventable. These diseases cause absenteeism in school and
work places and either taking sick people to hospital or taking time to heal
before resuming work.
UNICEF study has also indicated that open defecation is a
third contributor of 1% fall in the GDP of Nigeria among other poor hygiene
practices. It also exposes children especially female children to rape and
other dangers like snake bites, just like social stigma associated with loss of
dignity in some community as a result of open defecation.
Disturbed by the huge health implication and its economic
burden on families across the country, UNICEF with the support of European
Union and UKAid in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria has launched
a campaign against open defecation in the country.
Tagged: ‘Clean Nigeria; Use a Toilet’, the campaign is
targeted at reversing the old practice of defecating in open places instead of
using a controlled and improved system of toilets that in the long term reduce
the health risks with incidences of diseases such as diarrhea and vomiting
among children and adults in our communities.
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