Ministry commits to equitable sanitation, hygiene by 2030

Ministry of Health Principal Secretary (administration) Bestone Chisamile says government is committed to achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all Malawians and end open defecation by 2030.

He said this on Thursday at Mauwa Primary School ground in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mizinga in Machinga district, where he presided over the official certification of T/As Chikweo and Mizinga from as open defaecation free (ODF) areas.

He said: “The Malawi Government adopted the Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) in 2008 to reduce sanitation related diseases and help the country achieve ODF by promoting sanitation and hygiene in the communities.

“Maintaining sanitation and hygiene is central to increasing quality of life and years of healthy life. 

Chisamile then congratulated the two T/As for attaining ODF  status, saying sanitation and hygiene promotion greatly reduced sanitary related diseases, including Covid-19 and Cholera countrywide.

He also urged all Malawians to adhere to good hygienic practices, including washing hands with soap after using latrines, washing fruits and vegetables and covering stored foods to prevent diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera as the rainy season is here. 

T/A Mizinga said they will continue ensuring that their subjects have  clean and strong modern toilet structures with hand washing facilities outside to safeguard their ODF statuses.

Heart to Heart Foundation Malawi is one of the partners implementing the second phase of the Community-based Wash Improvement Project in the district in collaboration with Machinga District Council.

The current three-year phase includes installation and maintenance of sanitary facilities and is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to the tune of K1.275 billion.