USAID increasing access to basic sanitation through Digni Loo. The video includes and interview with Akua Kwarteng Addo, Director of Health Population and Nutrition, at USAID/Ghana. It was produced by GoodLife, Live It Well, the Government of Ghana’s flagship public health communication brand.
On November 19, World Toilet Day will be celebrated around the world, drawing attention to the crucial role that sanitation improvements play in creating healthier communities.
This Sunday, November 19, let’s take some time to reflect. For billions in the developing world proper sanitation can mean the difference between education and ignorance, health and illness, prosperity and poverty. But 2.5 billion people still don’t have access to a toilet, and 11 percent of the world’s population still defecates in the open.
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Ghana is a country of jarring contradictions. Technology is quickly infiltrating daily lives: nearly everyone has a mobile phone, the majority have access to electricity, and millions use the internet. But less than 15 percent of the country has access to basic sanitation, and one in five Ghanaians defecate in the open.
USAID is proud to announce a three-year Global Development Alliance with the Toilet Board Coalition. The Toilet Board Coalition (TBC) is a public-private partnership that brings together some of the world’s most dynamic companies, multilaterals, NGOs, and business minds.
2.4 Billion people still lack access to an improved source of sanitation, yet up to 95% of this population is covered by mobile networks and unique subscriber market penetration is above 63%, i.e. more than 4.7 Billion people have at least one mobile phone number. With more than 411 Million registered mobile money accounts, mobile is also increasingly changing the landscape of financial inclusion.
Improving sanitation can have a significant impact on health, the economy, and personal security and dignity, especially for women and girls. Investments in sanitation reduce health care costs and boost productivity, as time available for work and school increases.
Public-private partnerships have significant potential to accelerate progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals’ sanitation target. An exciting new Global Development Alliance between USAID and the Toilet Board Coalition promises to strengthen efforts to reach the 2.4 billion worldwide still without adequate sanitation.
