Petronella Sibeene
14 August 2008
Windhoek — Namibia still lags behind in addressing sanitation and hygiene issues, two key areas that are critical in accelerating progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) Country Representative Ian MacLeod in an interview with New Era said some parts of the country reflect poor sanitation and hygiene practices.
The situation calls for the implementation of awareness programmes.
As Unicef enters its mid-term review, it will partner with Government in strengthening the two areas of concern, MacLeod said.
Awareness campaigns should be implemented and Namibian schools should integrate sanitation and hygiene issues into the school curriculum, he added.
United Nations declared the year 2008 as the International Year on Sanitation.
The initiative will spotlight the seriousness of the global sanitation crisis and kick-start efforts to accelerate progress for meeting the MDGs.
According to the United Nations, poor sanitation and hygiene cause disease and death. Positive sanitation has a positive impact on economic growth and poverty reduction.
Eighteen years after the country's independence, only 13 percent of the rural population have access to improved sanitation coverage, compared to eight percent in 1990.
The 2001 statistics show that 78 percent of rural folk do not have access to proper ablution facilities and use the bush in times of need.
Only 12 percent have access to proper toilets, while 10 percent use non-improved facilities.
While the situation of urban dwellers looks better with 70 percent estimated to have adequate sanitation facilities, the urban coverage is decreasing due to growing informal settlements.
It is believed that more than US$350 million will be needed for Namibia to attain Vision 2030's long-term targets for sanitation services and improved water supply.
Government needs to strengthen its policy on sanitation, MacLeod said.
MacLeod also expressed concern over the high numbers of maternal mortality, which he attributed to factors such as HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, lack of birth attendants and gender-based violence.
According to the Ministry of Health and Social Services report on under-five mortality, maternal mortality rate increased from 227 per 100000 live births in 2000 to 449 per 100 000 live births in 2006.
Child mortality rate increased from 62 per 1000 live births to 69 per 1000 live births, while the infant mortality rate also went up from 38 per 1000 live births to 46 per 1000 live births.
The report says the number of women who die during pregnancy, delivery or shortly after giving birth has doubled.
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