400 villages declared open defaecation–free in Dowa

Over 400 villages in Traditional Authority (T/A) Dzoole in Dowa have been declared open defecation free (ODF) by the Ministry of Health, thanks to a Concern Universal project.

Speaking during certificate presentation to Senior Chief Dzoole at Chisanja Community Ground, Concern Universal chief water, sanitation and hygeine (Wash) adviser Masauko Mthunzi said they embarked on the programme, in collaboration with Dowa District Hospital, to promote hygiene and sanitation in the district.

“Our baseline survey conducted in the district revealed that open defaecation is one of the leading causes of diarrhoea and other sanitary related diseases in the area,” he said.

Mthunzi said toilets with hand washing facilities have been introduced in all the villages to ensure that communities achieve good hygiène practices. He also said Concern Universal drilled over 670 boreholes worth K3 billion to ensure that people have access to potable water.

Principal environmental health officer, who is also chairperson for National Open Defaecation Free Task Force, Holystone Maumsamatha Kafanikhale, commended Concern Universal for the programme saying it will reduce the amount of money spent on buying drugs to treat diseases.

Concern Universal is implementing the open defaecation free status in Dowa with funding from United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and UKaid.n