619,000 Kaduna residents still practicing open defecation despite progress, says UNICEF

• She emphasized the need for accelerated efforts to address the issue
  

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UNICEF Nigeria’s Country Representative, Christian Munduate, has raised concerns that 619,000 people in Kaduna State still practice open defecation, despite nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) being declared open defecation-free (ODF).

Speaking at the Kaduna State ODF event, Munduate highlighted that while 40% of communities in the state are ODF certified, 60% of the population still faces the dangers associated with open defecation.

She emphasized the need for accelerated efforts to address the issue across the remaining 14 LGAs, noting that open defecation contributes to health risks, including diarrheal diseases and infant mortality.

Munduate also reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the state’s WASH services and aligning with the Federal Government’s “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign.

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, represented by his Deputy, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, reiterated the state’s commitment to achieving zero open defecation and commended UNICEF’s support in the progress so far.