Balaka District impresses, declared ODF area

Balaka District was on Monday officially declared open defaecation free (ODF) after two of its remaining traditional authorities (T/As)—Msamala and Nkaya— attained the status.

Speaking during the official certification, Minister of Health and Population Services Atupele Muluzi said the country is on the right path to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2.

The goal challenges countries to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defaecation by paying attention to the needs of women and girls by 2030.

Said Muluzi: “Government adopted the community-led total sanitation in 2008 with an aim of making the country open defaecation free by promoting sanitation and hygiene in the communities with the primary objective of reducing sanitation-related diseases.”

Balaka District Council chairperson Thomas Bwanali said the achievement has been possible because of the commitment of all stakeholders in the district.

“The country has over the years made progress by triggering over 69 percent of the total number of villages for ODF and over 41.7 percent of the villages attaining ODF status while 31 percent awaits verification,” he said. n