Cameroonians have over the weekend, in conjunction with the international community, celebrated World Toilet Day.

This year’s edition, the second to be organised, was observed in Cameroon under the theme, “Put a stop to open air defecation”.

During a ceremony chaired by the Technical Adviser Number One at the Ministry of Mines, Water and Energy Resources, Laurent Ngouinga, the problems and consequences of inadequate and insufficient toilet systems were tabled for discussions.

In this regard, the population was sensitised on the importance of having public toilets and how to properly handle them.

The event was also an opportunity to make stakeholders and managers of institutions see the need for the creation of toilets within their enterprises.

Meanwhile, participants expressed views on the deplorable condition of the existing public toilets which according to them, are hardly maintained.

Laurent Ngouinga who represented the Minister noted that it does not only suffice to have public toilets but also to ensure their proper maintenance.

World Toilet day which is officially commemorated worldwide on 19th November has been placed under the theme, “Equality and Dignity”.

According to the UN-Water website, www.unwater.org, defecating in the open is unsafe and brings down one’s dignity especially for women and girls who not only face health risks but also risks of rape and abuse.

Statistics from UN-Water states that 2.5 billion people in the world do not have a safe, clean private toilet meanwhile about 500,000 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by poor water and sanitation.

The organisation also highlights the present contradiction that, “more people in the world have a mobile phone than a toilet”.

Considering these challenges, the Cameroon government and its development partners are currently working on a strategy to improve liquid drainage throughout the national territory by 2020.