By Suzan Edeh
Residents of Liman Katagum, a community in Bauchi local government area of the state have reiterated their commitment to sustaining an Open Defecation Free (ODF) environment.
Bauchi Local Government recently became the 10th LGA in the state to achieve ODF status, with Zaki LGA expected to emerge as the 11th.
Some of the residents who spoke on Wednesday at the community expressed delight that their environment is now free from pollution and outbreak of diseases.
The Community Head of Liman Katagum, Alhaji Yakubu Abubakar Ghani said that before the attainment of the ODF status in the community, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) with support from UNICEF has been conducting trainings for the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Committee members (WASH-COM) on the hazards of open defecation.
He said that committee members were trained on need to keep their environment clean, especially the use of the smart toilet with emphasis on the washing of hands with soap or ashes after using the toilet.
"At the community level, the WASHCOM committee members conduct sensitization programmes for traditional and religious leaders and other members of the community where they discourage open defecation. When people defecate openly, the rain can easily push it into the wells and other water sources, thereby leading to contamination. This can cause outbreak of Cholera, diarrhea and other diseases," he said.
He said that the community set up another committee to educate women, youths, elderly people and the persons with disabilities on the need to patronize toilets at the markets, places of worship and motor parks whenever they are not in their places of residence.
A House wife and a member of the WASH-COM in the community, Maimunatu Umar also narrated how the achievement of ODF status in the community has Improved hygiene and Sanitation of the environment.
According to her, in the past children were defecating everywhere without cleaning them up, but with the continuous sensitization of the WASHCOM members who educate community members on the need to use toilet as well maintaining good hygiene practices, issues of outbreak of diseases in the community has reduced drastically.
"Currently, our children hardly fall sick unlike what we were experiencing in the past. Our environment is free from open defecation because we always adhering to what we were taught by members of the WASH-COM.We are going to sustain this practice because it is helping us as a community" She said
Collaborating their claims, A WASH-COM member, Sani Usman said that WASH-COM members carry out regular inspection visits to houses of members of the community where they inspect their toilets to ensure that they adhere to good hygiene practices such as washing of the toilets, using of soaps for washing of hands after using the toilets.
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