More chiefdoms discard open defecation

THE National Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) says only 56 out of the 288 chiefdoms in Zambia have been declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF) zones.

National CLTS coordinator, Leonard Mukosha disclosed this yesterday in Kalomo at chief Chikanta’s palace at the celebrations of that chiefdoms’ 374 villages attaining ODF status yesterday.

Mr. Mukosha also expressed concern at the rate chiefdoms are attaining the ODF status saying only three chiefdoms in the ten provinces managed to be certified as ODF status.

“Our target is that every year, 27 chiefdoms are supposed to be declared as open defecation free zones, but we only managed to attain three this year, that is Kaputa, Mukupa Katandula and Chikanta. Our aim is to see to it that all the 288 chiefdoms are certified ODF by 2030,” Mukosha observed.

He says water and sanitation challenges are an economic burden.

Mr. Mukosha urged communities to maintain their hygienic levels and trends so that they do not backslide like in the case of Vumbi, Choma and Chitambo chiefdoms who are now recording below 100 per cent ODF status .

And officiating at the same occasion, Kalomo Council chairperson, Coy Makaya urged other chiefdoms to emulate chief Chikanta’s effort to assist the government address the burden of water borne diseases in their respective locales.

The ODF UNICEF and World Vision sponsored event was attended by various stakeholders, several representatives of local authorities and other traditional leaders from Southern province.

World Vision Zambia with its partners says it supports water and sanitation projects in all the refugee camps in the country targeting one million people.- ZANIS.