Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene November - December 2016 vol.11 No.6 | Page 7

NEWS in brief

Around Africa communities have been cut off from electricity by thieves in search of such lines to sell out for use in the manufacture of other lucrative uses . Many Mayors and other authorities have been making appeals for better manners as the countdown for the beginning of AFCON comes closer . The appeals were prompted by the need to address some disturbing actions around newly constructed structures in the country where citizens have not given them the care they require . Within these structures and where toilets and other facilities exist , people would rather urinate just about anywhere .
One must however blame the public authorities for the rise in these condemnable acts because all too often essential services such as toilets and other hospitality services are not provided for when public buildings are conceived . It is possible to go for several kilometers in our major cities with seeing a refuse disposal basket or a public toilet . In such a situation , where does one expect even the most willing person faced with the need to urinate do ? Or where does one throw a used piece of Kleenex ? It takes both a campaign such as the one being organized by the public authorities but , above all , by the provision of facilities to expect a radical turnaround in the poor habits experienced today . It will take only that to expect to instill a culture of public hygiene and the need to respect common-use facilities in the minds of Cameroonian citizens .
and sanitation is just 0.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product . Public and private institutions at all levels must have the capacity to carry out their roles and responsibilities for effective Water Sanitation and Hygiene ( Wash ) service delivery at scale .
How many children below the age of five are losing their lives due to poor sanitation ? 88 per cent of all cases of diarrhea globally are attributable to water , sanitation and hygiene . Diarrhea caused the death of around 24,000 children under the age of five in Kenya in 2008 . Under age five diarrhea prevalence is at 17 per cent in Kenya , and higher among poorer households . Infant mortality rate is 39 deaths per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality rate is 52 deaths per 1,000 live births ; according to the Kenya Health and Demographic Survey ( KDHS 2014 ).
Nigeria
150,000 Children Die Annually in Nigeria from Unsafe Water - Osinbajo
By Levi Nwabughiogu
Kenya
The challenge facing our public schools is water and hygiene
The state of the only pit latrines serving Magombe primary school in , Siaya county in a picture taken on October 04,2016 . Lack of sanitation amenities has pushed boys to use the torn iron sheet walled structure to relive self . ( Photo : Denish Ochieng / Standard )
Sanitation is still a challenge in Kenya , what are the current short falls ?
Some of the challenges in the sector include financing and legal . The question is whether the sector or counties are able to attract different sources of funding due to the existence of limiting institutional frameworks for financial transactions to take place . The budget allocation to water
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said about 150,000 children die of diarrhea-related diseases annually for drinking unsafe water .
He also regretted that Nigeria did not meet the targets of the Millennium Development Goals , MDGs , for water and sanitation , attributing that to the inability of the stakeholders in the sector to access available funds .
Osinbajo spoke at the unveiling of the National Water policies and launching of the Partnership for Expanded Water Water Supply , Sanitation and Hygiene , PEWASH , organized by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources at Shehu Yar ’ Adua Center , Abuja , recently .
Recalling that successive governments had accelerated access to water by 69 per cent , and improved sanitation to 29 per cent , the vice president , however , said it was a far cry from what was needed .
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