Daud Olatunji
As Nigeria marked the 2025 World Toilet Day on Tuesday, the Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN) raised fresh concerns over the country’s slow progress in ending open defecation, warning that the sanitation crisis is fuelling the spread of parasitic and infectious diseases nationwide.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of its Communication Committee, Dr. Tajudeen Olusegun Uthman, PPSN said the country risks undermining its public health goals unless urgent, sustained, and coordinated action is taken to close critical sanitation gaps.
The 2025 global theme is “Accelerating Change: Sanitation for a Healthier Future.”
Dr. Uthman said Nigeria is still battling the consequences of inadequate toilet facilities, despite years of interventions and commitments at federal and state levels.
“Millions of Nigerians still do not have access to safe and functional toilet facilities. This reality continues to undermine public health and our sustainable development efforts,” he said.
The PPSN spokesperson described open defecation as “one of Nigeria’s most pressing but neglected sanitation emergencies,” explaining that its impact is far-reaching.
“Open defecation contaminates water sources, pollutes the environment and fuels the spread of diseases such as soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis,” he warned.
“Nigeria cannot substantially reduce the burden of neglected tropical diseases without addressing sanitation inequalities.”
He stressed that improving access to hygienic toilets, strengthening community hygiene practices, and promoting consistent toilet use must become national priorities—particularly for children and vulnerable populations who bear the greatest burden.
The Society urged governments at all levels to scale up investments in community and institutional sanitation infrastructure, enforce policies against open defecation, and expand hygiene education programmes in schools, markets, motor parks and other public places.
Dr. Uthman also emphasised that sustainable behaviour-change campaigns and stronger collaboration between government agencies, NGOs and grassroots organisations are essential for long-term success.
“We need a coordinated approach. Behaviour-change messaging must be continuous, and sanitation infrastructure must be available and functional,” he added.
Reaffirming PPSN’s commitment, Dr. Uthman said ending open defecation is not only a matter of disease control but also of human dignity and national development.
“Achieving meaningful progress in sanitation will safeguard public health, protect our environment and enhance the dignity of all Nigerians,” he said.
World Toilet Day is observed annually on November 19 to draw global attention to the importance of safe sanitation and the need to end open defecation.
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