TALITAY,
Maguindanao --- This local
government aligns its campaign on cleanliness and sanitation program with the
national leadership’s advocacy on Zero Open Defecation Program (ZODP) and
health education campaign.
Norodin Maisalat, consultant on Environmental
Sanitation of the Integrated Provincial Health Office- Maguindanao, said the ZODP
utilizes the approaches and strategies of Community-Led Total Sanitation or
CLTS.
“The CLTS is under the umbrella concept of total
sanitation that includes a range of behaviours such as stopping open defecation
practices; ensuring that everyone uses a sanitary toilet; frequent and proper
hand washing; hygienic handling food and water; safe disposal of animal and
domestic waste; and creation and maintenance of a clean and safe environment,”
Maisalat said.
Maisalat said households and communities need
to be prepared. They should also be responsible.
“Moving beyond the eradication of open
defecation towards the safe management of sanitation for all requires a collaborative
effort,” he emphasized.
“When we do not have access to sanitation
facilities, it could possibly resort to open defecation. Open defecation is a
dangerous practice that results to people being at risk of getting diarrhea,
cholera, and other waterborne diseases,”
Municipal Administrator Tato Aruyod said the cooperation
of everyone is necessary as we change our ways and behaviours.
“This is what we are going to do. That there
must be collective efforts of all concerned agencies and the populace
themselves,” Aruyod said.
Mayor Allan Sabal said the local government
strongly supports the campaign to have Zero Open Defecation community.
“We will work hand in hand with the Department
of Healthand other partners to achieve the target of zero open defecation
status here in Talitay,” Mayor Sabal said. (GILMHAR
A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)
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