Yemisi Dada
The Pan-African Association of Sanitation Actors, PASA, has urged African governments to make sanitation and hygiene top priority.
PASA Executive Secretary, Mr. Kitch Bawa, stated this while speaking to Africa Media Practitioners virtually over the weekend.
Mr. Bawa who outlined PASA’s ongoing initiatives in twenty five countries to strengthen sanitation services, explained the need for better waste management systems across the continent.
Mr. Bawa expressed concern over the mismanagement of fecal sludge treatment plants in several African countries, warning that inadequate facilities posed serious health risks to individuals and communities.
While emphasising the need for climate-resilient sanitation infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability, Mr. Bawa hinted on the launch of PASA One City, One Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant, FSTP, Initiative, which will be introduced in Kampala, Uganda, during the Mayors and Local Authorities Forum at the African Water and Sanitation Association, AFWASA, Congress this week.
Speaking on the issue of open defecation, Mr Bawa revealed alarming statistics that demonstrate the severity of the problem and reassured that PASA is actively working to combat the challenge.
”Our mission is to enhance public health and improve the quality of life in African communities. We call on the media to raise awareness about the importance of sanitation and hygiene in Africa’s development.”
Director of Programmes at AFWASA, Dr. Simeon Kenfack, also stressed the need for stronger sanitation policies and oversight, noting that AFWASA is collaborating with multiple countries to improve sanitation services, citing Senegal as a model example.
Dr. Kenfack revealed that the organisation is mentoring five other nations to adopt Senegal’s successful sanitation strategies, while acknowledging media’s vital role in influencing public policy and behaviour across Africa.
A report by WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP), along with the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water, reveals the poor state of sanitation in Africa.