HSE Experts call on Govt. on Public Toilet Facilities
Health and Safety experts in the country have stated that the need to improve the level of sanitation and build more public toilets are imperative to eradicate environmental pollution.
In separate interviews with HSENation’s reporter, they explained that the risk of poor sanitation and open defecation was a result of inadequate facilities provided by the government.
In a chat with a safety and environment expert, Mr. Fyneray Mbata, he mentioned the challenges of environmental pollution like open defecation highlighted that such was risk to public health.
He said, “There are several diseases that can be transferred via contact with the excreta or urine of an infected persons. This means, as open defecation continues to persist, there is a high risk of disease transfer, promotion of a foul smell in the environment, aesthetic deviation of our environment and increase in microbial (coliform) conditions of groundwater.”
Fyneray, who doubles as the SHE, Country Manager, MTN Nigeria PLC called for steps to be taken such as, “Building public toilets at strategic locations; before building plans are approved, check the adequacy of the toilets to the use of the building; create awareness on dangers of open defecation on media and enforcing penalties for violation to deter people from continuing to defecate in the open space.”
In similar view, the CEO of Combined Training Solutions (CTS) and IOSH Consultant West Africa, Mrs Funmi Adegbola said that inadequate number of public toilets and lack of sanitation contributed to poor environment.
“Not having a toilet or a clean one for that matter is a fundamental breach of human rights. An example is the sight of a female who has to relieve herself without no privacy during her menstrual cycle. This act of public defecation encourages both males and females to crouch anywhere to relieve themselves and this can promote different shades of verbal, physical and more particularly sexual abuse.”
“Provision of adequate, clean and accessible public toilet facilities is key. This is the norm in the Western parts of the world so it should not be made unusual in this part of the world,” she added.
By: Victory Bernard