BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa – In district number 3, the practice of open defecation has knitted a tapestry of despair, as residents grapple with the dire consequences of unsanitary conditions.

                                              By: Mercy Zahn Gbhoe, Contributing Writer

Carolina Karyatu, a resident of Fanti Town Community, paints a vivid picture of desperation as she describes how children and adults alike resort to using plastic bags for their daily needs, casting their waste into the ocean, uncompleted buildings, and nearby bushes.

“When you check the houses in this community, the ones that have toilet na (do not) reach ten,” Caroline said “Most of the people here can toilet in plastic and throw it away,” she continued.

This unsettling practice not only pollutes the rivers and water sources but also poses a grave threat to the health of the community. From diarrhea to skin rashes and other diseases, the repercussions of open defecation are felt far and wide, plunging families into a cycle of sickness and suffering.

This is evident by the latest WASH-related burden of disease which estimates, 1.4 million people die each year as a result of inadequate drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene. The vast majority of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. The report highlights that unsafe sanitation accounts for 564 000 of these deaths, largely from diarrheal disease, and it is a major factor in several neglected tropical diseases, including intestinal worms, and trachoma. Experts have also discovered that poor sanitation contributes to malnutrition.

For Wayzohn Community, open defecation is not much of a crisis in the area. But Rhoda Johnson, a community dweller recounts the challenges faced by women due to unsanitary public toilets, where trichomoniasis and discomfort are common occurrences.

Henry Andrews, the community leader underscores the urgent need for action, emphasizing the threat of unsanitary public latrines to child health and human capital.

“The toilet here is in a deplorable condition,” he said. “And the community dwellers are not cooperative when it comes to the maintenance of it,” he disclosed.

Martha Doe, a pharmacist in the area, bears witness to the toll on health, with a steady stream of customers seeking relief from urinary tract infections, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

“The medicine the people can really buy here da (are) antibiotics like Amoxicillin, Metro, Erythromycin biscopan etc,” she said. “Medicines that are used for treating infection and running stomach” she disclosed.According to a study by the WHO, open defecation propagates a cruel progression of disease and poverty, noting that countries where open defection is most widespread have the highest number of deaths of children under 5 years as well as the higelof malnutrition, poverty, and big disparities of wealth.

The Joint Monitoring Programme 2017 (JMP 2017) showed that 42 per cent of Liberia population practices open defecation. Meaning less than 10 per cent of Liberians had access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services.

However, the situation is getting alarming as UNICEF Liberia 2023 annual report reveals that 52.3% of Liberia’s population lacks access to sanitation and hygiene facilities. “This highlights the complex and interrelated challenges that must be addressed to improve the overall well-being of the population.”

Sanitation expert Marthalyn Subah warns of the vicious cycle of diseases and poverty perpetuated by open defecation, citing a list of illnesses that plague communities where dignity is compromised and health is at risk.

“Open defecating results in contamination of the local environment adversely because of the effects on inhabitants, including diseases like: intestinal worms, infections, typhoid, cholera, trachoma and others,” she said.

Mercy Johnny, founder of Children Rescue Africa, sheds light on the dangers faced by women and girls in such conditions, and is leading efforts to raise awareness and promote hygiene in the 52 communities within Buchanan.

“We were able to meet with the Corcoran Community, the leaders in Palawan town, Fanti town, New Buchanan Blocks A, B, C & D, and we had fruitful conversations,” She said.  “In fact, the community dwellers had a mindset that we went there to say they’re dirty but we clear their doubts and they were excited to work with us as we distributed detergents and other things for them to maintain their toilets.” She concluded.

As the curtain falls on this harrowing tale of suffering, the call for action grows louder, demanding a concerted effort to break free from the shackles of open defecation and pave the way for a healthier, more dignified future for all in district number 3, Grand Bassa County.

This story was produced under the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) Mentorship Program. Funding was provided by USAID through Internews, under Year 3 of its Media Activity Program. The Funder had no say in the contents of this story.