By Kazeem Biriowo
AS Nigeria battles to permanently eliminate poliomyelitis, findings have revealed that the persisting open defecation, which has been identified as the virus’ primary transmission source in the country, is a hindrance to the realisation of the objective.
UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, Monday Johnson, has asserted that polio, which is spread by person-to-person contact with the virus living in the throat and in the intestines, is contracted through contact with the faeces (fecal-oral spread) or by droplet spread in a sneeze or cough.
He said, “Polio can also be spread by an infected person who has contaminated food or fluids by touching or tasting them. Unfortunately, a person can be infectious and transmit the virus even before they develop any symptoms as it lives in an infected person’s throat and intestines.”
He also said polio can be spread if a person picks up minute pieces of faeces with hands, and touches the mouth and also objects like toys that are contaminated with faeces touches the mouth.
A top UNICEF official, Zaid Jurji, said, “The situation of sanitation in Nigeria is alarming. Nigeria is third worldwide when it comes to open defecation; one-third of the population practise it,” Jurji wondered why Nigeria, which he described a “heavyweight country” that is held in high regard globally, should still be entangled in this infamy.
“However, the number of people still defecating in the open remains high and the problem needs addressing, which is why countries, such as Nigeria, are tackling the issue head-on.
“Open defecation can harm and negatively affects the health of countries’ populations through the contamination of drinking water and the spread of contagious diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery,” Jurji said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently linked 12.6 million yearly deaths to unhealthy environments.
Also, the health body said diarrhoea accounts for nine per cent of the death of children under five years worldwide, which is essentially as a result of faecal-oral disease, where germs are ingested due to contact with infected faeces.
Official data shows that Nigeria loses over 150,000 children to diarrhoea yearly.
The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) revealed that the diarrhoea prevalence rate in Nigeria is 18.8 per cent and is one of the worst in sub-Sahara Africa, above the average of 16 per cent.
The body also said that diarrhoea accounts for over 16 per cent of child deaths in Nigeria and an estimated 150,000 deaths, mainly among children under five occur yearly, which is mainly caused by poor sanitation and hygiene practices.
Despite the high statistics regarding open defecation in Nigeria, the country is attempting to tackle the problem.
Nigeria has made progress toward improving sanitation through its ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign.
This national campaign aims to completely rid the country of open defecation by 2025 through the encouragement of hygiene behaviour in 47 million Nigerians.
Parts of Nigeria, such as the Cross River State in the South-Eastern region have made progress within the country after becoming the first open defecation-free local government area.