*As UNICEF, WHO urges Africa to scale up actions on water, sanitation
About 418 million people across the globe still lack even a basic level of drinking water , the latest report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) have revealed.
The UNICEF/WHO Special Report which focused on Africa, revealed at the World Water Forum in Dakar in Senegal disclosed that for Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), leaders must take drastic measures that will accelerate progress on water, sanitation and hygiene.
The report which, further disclosed that about 779 million people lack basic sanitation services, stated that the figure include 208 million who still practice open defecation as well as the 839 million still lacking basic hygiene services.
It further warned that if current progress trends continue, very few African Union member states may achieve universal access to safely managed drinking water, safely managed sanitation or basic hygiene services by 2030.
It said, “Between 2000 and 2020, Africa’s population increased from 800 million to 1.3 billion people. About 500 million people gained access to basic drinking water and 290 million to basic sanitation services.
“On the continent, however, 418 million people still lack even a basic level of drinking water service, 779 million lack basic sanitation services (including 208 million who still practice open defecation) and 839 million still lack basic hygiene services’’.
Speaking on the development, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Marie – Poirier, said that achieving the SDG targets in Africa would require a 12-fold increase in current rates of progress on safely managed drinking water, a 20-fold increase for safely managed sanitation and a 42-fold increase for basic hygiene services.
He said, “Equitable access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene is not only the foundation of health and development for children and communities. Water is life, water is development, water is peace.
“In a time when water scarcity fuels conflicts and water points are targeted, UNICEF calls for urgent actions. We need water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, especially for girls who may miss school because there are no toilets or because they have to fetch water.
“Women and children need a safe access to water. As climate change puts additional pressure on resources, we need climate risk-sensitive and resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services for children and their communities. And we need it now’’.
He added that worldwide, UNICEF works in over 100 countries to help provide access to safe water and reliable sanitation, and to promote basic hygiene practices in rural and urban areas, including in emergency situations.
‘’We achieve better water, sanitation and hygiene results for children by working directly with schools and healthcare facilities to improve access to these services, providing life-saving support in humanitarian settings’’, he added.
