BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
ENSURING that every household in the Solomon Islands has access to proper toilets is a critical goal.
WASH Specialist Issifu Adama said the commitment of the Solomon Islands Government to achieve this objective by 2030, and with seven years remaining, the UNICEF-supported WASH program is playing a crucial role in implementing the government’s strategy.
Adama highlighted the importance of public awareness regarding the necessity of proper toilets in every household in the Solomon Islands.
He pointed out that only 35% of people have access to basic sanitation services, and 45% still defecate in the open. Significant disparities also exist in the access to basic sanitation services between rural and urban areas. For instance, access to basic sanitation in rural areas is at 21%, compared to 78% in urban areas; OD 58% rural and 4.4% urban. Open Defecation reduced from 61% in the year 2000 to 45% in 2021. Over the same period, the population using unimproved sanitation facilities surprisingly remained unchanged.
Moreover, the population having access to basic sanitation has seen only a 15% increase over the last two decades, from 20% in the year 2000 to 35% in 2021.
In certain communities, the WASH program has already been launched, and encouragingly, residents are taking ownership, signifying positive progress.
Adama said the construction of proper sanitation facilities is followed by ongoing monitoring to declare communities Non-Open Defecation zones. Post NOD monitoring is a crucial step to ensure that communities maintain good sanitation and hygiene practices, allowing them to ascend the sanitation ladder.
Adama also said the UNICEF WASH program is committed to helping the Solomon Islands achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
