The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) together with its development partners and aligning government agencies this morning marked World Toilet Day (WTD) with the theme “Sanitation in a Changing World”.
The World Toilet Day is observed annually on 19 November by the United Nations that aims to accelerate action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SGD6.2); By 2030, it ensures access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of our men and women, our girls and boys, children and those in vulnerable situations particularly our disabled individuals and our elders.
Speaking at the event, Health Permanent Secretary Mrs. Pauline McNeil highlighted, “This year’s campaign theme, “Sanitation in a Changing World”, with the tagline “We’ll Always Need the Toilet” calls for urgent action to protect and expand access to sanitation in the face of mounting challenges, ageing infrastructure, rising demand, low investment, and impacts of climate change.
PS McNeil explained, here in Solomon Islands the theme and tagline are strongly identified as it reflects the country’s reality: low sanitation coverage and high climate vulnerability.
“As a ministry, we acknowledge the significant challenges we face in improving access to sanitation. According to the 2024 JMP report, 45 percent of our population still practices open defecation. The situation is even more severe in rural areas, where five out of the nine provinces recorded open defecation rates between 60 and 90 percent, based on the latest population and housing census.
“This alarming trend has serious implications for public health, infant mortality, human dignity, and economic development. Diarrhea remains a major health problem for children in the world, including in Solomon Islands. Diarrhea can be easily prevented by building improved sanitation facilities, water sources improvements, including better water storage and treatment, and improved hygiene practices, especially handwashing with soap”, said Mrs. McNeil.
She stated, to address these issues, the Ministry of Health has developed several key frameworks, RWASH Policy and Strategic Plan, WATSAN Policy and Implementation Plan, the Healthy Village Settings Initiative, and the National Sustainable Sanitation Plan (NSSP) which are aligned to the National Health Strategic Plan 2022-2031. These blueprints are guiding the Ministry’s efforts to eliminate open defecation and improve sanitation access.
“Over the past few years, my ministry has implemented notable initiatives such as the Healthy Village Settings program and the National Sustainable Sanitation Plan, which have helped increase access to improved sanitation from 30 percent in 2015 to 35 percent today. A slow rate indeed and as we approach the SDG target year of 2030, we must accelerate progress toward universal access to basic sanitation.
“While it is important that have all the polices and frameworks in place, such require significant increase in investment in the sanitation sector, through increased mobilization of internal and external resources to expand sanitation programming nationwide, adoption of affordable and climate-resilient technologies, equipment and supplies needed to expand the coverage, additional HR recruitment and capacity development, logistical support and strengthening of the sanitation supply chain to progress the efforts. The bottom line is that, we require these policies and frameworks to be resourced with financed.
“We have made progress, but much more remains to be done. Under the current project initiative with the support of our partners particularly DFAT, MFAET and UNICEF, 263 communities have been certified as No Open Defecation (NOD) status, with the following provincial breakdown of NOD Communities:
124 communities in Malaita
60 communities in Isabel
38 communities in Western
18 communities in Central
17 communities in Guadalcanal
6 communities in Makira
The 263 communities cover almost 30 thousand population, which implies only 4.2% of the total population of 700 thousand persons in the country.
Therefore, she stated, the ministry must continue to work together with its development partners, line partner Ministries, Provincial Governments, and communities to ensure every household has access to safe and dignified sanitation facilities. Health cannot do this alone.
“Thus, we sincerely appreciate the ongoing support of our development partners and call on them to sustain their engagement”, said Mrs. McNeil.
She again thanked all development partners, the donor countries (including New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – MFAT and Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – DFAT), the UN agencies (including UNICEF), Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and academic institutions, and the NGO partners (including ADRA, ECANSI, World Vision International and Live and Learn), who have worked closely with the communities to build sanitation facilities in all provinces.
“I reaffirm the Ministry’s leadership, under the very capable leadership of the Director of the Environmental Health Division (EHD), Ms Ethel Mapulo and her hard-working team for their commitment to driving progress towards our journey in ensuring safer sanitation for our communities. We pledge to intensify efforts so that every citizen enjoys access to safe and dignified sanitation. On this note, allow me to sincerely acknowledge the members of the EHD at both the national and Provincial levels for their hard work and commitment in progressing this agenda despite the many challenges encountered along the way”, said Mrs. McNeil.
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[MHMS]
