By Ahmed Ahmed
The Bauchi State Government has launched a fresh campaign to eliminate open defecation and curb recurring cholera outbreaks in Jama’are, Misau and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas as part of efforts to improve sanitation and public health.
The initiative, supported by the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) and implemented by WaterAid Nigeria, was officially flagged off in Jama’are on Friday.
Speaking during the event, the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam, expressed confidence that the three councils would soon attain Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status. He said the administration of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed remained committed to strengthening sanitation and hygiene through collaboration with development partners, traditional rulers and community stakeholders.
Dambam explained that the campaign seeks to promote behavioural change, improve public awareness and reduce diseases linked to poor sanitation, including cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea. He described open defecation as a serious threat to public health and the environment.
According to him, millions of Nigerians still practise open defecation due to poverty, inadequate toilet facilities and poor hygiene awareness, while sanitation-related diseases continue to claim thousands of lives annually.
The commissioner added that the state government had established a multi-sectoral cholera response committee to address recurring outbreaks across communities.
Also speaking, WaterAid State Task Team Lead, Mashat Mallo, urged stakeholders to sustain the campaign beyond the project period, noting that improved sanitation facilities in homes and public places would help protect communities from disease outbreaks.
Traditional rulers and local government chairmen pledged their support toward ending open defecation and achieving ODF status in their respective areas.
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