A week-long activity has been lined up in November to create awareness on water and sanitation to avert crisis in the sector in Africa.
Ahead of the event, stakeholders have called on individuals to champion the agenda of water security and good hygiene on the continent.
The joint conference of the 8th Africa Water Week (AWW) and the 6th Africa Sanitation Conference is themed: “Water security for public health and human development.” The week is scheduled from 22 to 26 November 2021 to deliberate on the challenges and possible solutions to achieve optimal sanitation and clean water for all.
Speaking at a media briefing ahead of the conference, Professor Moshood Tijani, AMCOW Groundwater Desk Officer, indicated that the goal for this year’s conference is to mobilise governments and other stakeholders to ensure water security across Africa.
Prof Tijani said the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new dynamic in the challenges facing the water sector in Africa.
“In times like this, there is excessive pressure on water resources and infrastructure for domestic hygiene and personal use. Thus AWW-8 will serve as a platform for stakeholders’ dialogue on how to strengthen the preparedness to manage similar future crisis,” he said.
On his part, Kitch Bawa, the sanitation project manager, AMCOW, said the ultimate goal of AfricaSan 6 is “to mobilize governments and other stakeholders to accelerate action to ensure every country achieves access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation by 2030.”
Official report says some 215 million people continue to engage in open defecation in sub-Saharan Africa contributing to the transmission of diarrhea – one of the leading causes of mortality in children under five in Africa.
Source: Daily Mail GH
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