Lack of Hygienic Sanitation Facilities in Indonesia Leads to Open Defecation & Health Issues
The World Health Organization (WHO) repeatedly emphasizes that hygienic sanitation facilities are crucial for public health. It is estimated that each year around 842,000 people in low and middle-income countries die as a result of inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. Poor sanitation is believed to be the main cause in some 280,000 of these deaths.
In this article we take a closer look at the situation of open defecation, which is the act of defecating outside (for example in ditches, canals, or fields), in Indonesia. Open defecation - and the lack of sanitation and hygiene in general - causes various diseases, while perpetuating a vicious cycle of disease and poverty.
The WHO notes that those countries where open defecation is most widespread have the highest number of deaths of children aged under five years as well as the highest levels of malnutrition and poverty, and big disparities of wealth.
In Indonesia, it is estimated that some 150,000 children die each year as a consequence of open defecation. Meanwhile, it is estimated that some 84 million people lack access to hygienic sanitation facilities. This is a huge number and therefore deserves the full attention of the government.
The text above is a sneak preview of the article that is included in the November 2018 edition of our research report. This article discusses:
(1) the state of sanitation facilities and open defecation in Indonesia;
(2) the negative consequences of poor sanitation and open defecation on public health.
Read the full article in the November 2018 edition of our monthly research report (scheduled to be released in early December 2018). You can purchase this report by sending an email to [email protected] or a WhatsApp (WA) message to the following number: +6287884106944
