An official of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO) has underscored the need for political will for the province to achieve a zero open defecation status.

Zero open defecation means that all residents in a certain area have full access to safe toilets, Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado, PHO chief, said in an interview on Aug. 31.

Out of the 43 local government units in the province, 19 have secured all of their villages’ zero open defecation status, PHO data as of last August 15 showed.

Trabado said the PHO is continuing with its province-wide campaign until all households have access to toilets.

The challenge, however, is that new households arise each month and the PHO has to assure that new households practice proper human waste disposal.

“Every year, every month, there are new houses built. For example, if we can say 95 percent of the villages have achieved zero open defecation status now, we still need to go back to new households to check,” she said.

She underscored that the success of the campaign needs the support of local government officials.

“The campaign needs sustainability, and political will. If only the barangays and the municipalities can establish ordinance that requires new houses to secure toilets, we can achieve our goal on zero open defecation,” she said.

Trabado underscored that safe toilets are important to keep the residents in the area healthy and free from any viral and bacterial infections. Open defecation could expose people to diarrhea and other water-borne diseases, she said.

Improper disposal of human waste can also contaminate food and water, which will cause diseases among people when consumed.

“The environment will suffer due to improper waste disposal. The water source will be contaminated and once a person drinks contaminated water, he or she will contract viral or bacterial diseases,” she said.

Consuming contaminated food and water can also cause death, she warned, as consequences of viral and bacterial diseases, such as diarrhea, can endanger one’s life.

“(The) consequence of diarrhea is dehydration, and we fear that dehydration can lead to death,” she said.PNA