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-The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Zambia has pledged its commitment to sponsor sanitation programmes in the country to help improve people’s lives.
UNICEF country representative Hamid El- Bashir says about 40 communicable diseases are transmitted through hand shakes hence the need to support sanitation programmes.
Speaking at the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) promotion and sensitization programme held at Tateyoyo check point in Nkeyema district of Western province yesterday, Dr. El-Bashir urged the people to ensure that hand communicable diseases are prevented.
The event was held under the theme, “advocating for 100 percent sanitation through proper use of adequate toilet and hand washing”.
He hailed the CLTS as an innovative methodology aimed at eliminating open defecation by ensuring that everyone in the district uses a hygienic toilet.
And Chief Kahare of the Nkoya speaking people commended UNICEF for supplementing government efforts aimed at having a healthy nation.
He advised his subjects to ensure that open defecation in their homes is brought to manageable levels by proper use of toilets.
Chief Kahare complained that many deaths in his chiefdom were waterborne but instead are largely associated with witchcraft.
He added that due to lack of knowledge of risks caused by open defecation his subjects do not appreciate the need to abandon the practice.
The traditional leader assured that he would encourage his subjects to use the tip-tap hand washing innovation to improve hygiene and sanitation in Nkeyema and Kaoma.
He said the tip-tap hand washing innovation that was demonstrated to travelers at the check point which is the entry and exit point of Western province to Lusaka will encourage them to be healthy by the use of clean hands in disease prevention.
And speaking earlier, Western province Village Water Zambia Manager Mubiana Muyangwa said about 150, 000 households in Kaoma, Mongu and Kalabo districts have achieved open defecation free (ODF) status in the province.
Mr. Muyangwa added that with the support and funding from the Department for International development (DFID) under the UK government of about K6 million, 42 latrines and 30 boreholes will be drilled in the province.
He also said that about 58 latrines will be constructed in 100 schools in the province .
