Addis Ababa (April 28, 2024) : Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today announced the launching of a grand digital fundraising telethon for “Clean Ethiopia” initiative to realize an Open Defecation Free (ODF) Nation.
According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the Premier has launched the initiative with a view to erect modern toilets across the country which are much need in Ethiopia with the ownership and engagement of the local community in financing and development of the latrines.
The “Clean Ethiopia” fundraising initiative, which is themed “Clean Cities – Healthy Lives, aims at soliciting resources both in-cash and in-kind for the construction of the public sanitation facilities.
The Office of the Prime Minister indicated that all Ethiopians in the country and the Ethiopian Diaspora abroad are invited to participate in the ‘Clean Ethiopia’ digital telethon and they can remit their financial contributions to the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia account 1000623230248.
Showcasing this initiative, a prototype toilet has been constructed and displayed in the capital Addis Ababa, providing a tangible example of modern and dignified public latrines that are going to be erected in the identified corridors.
The Role of Ethiopian Diaspora
In connection with the launch of the initiative, an Ethiopian-born Professor Alemayehu Gebremariam of California State University said that the “Clean Streets – Healthy Lives” initiative is an opportunity for all Ethiopians, members of the Ethiopian Diaspora and partners to make their contributions and play a pivotal role in enhancing public sanitation services and promoting overall public health in Ethiopia.
In his message conveyed on his personal X account and titled : “𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 – 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬” 𝐚𝐧𝐝 “𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬”, Prof. Alemayehu has expressed his readiness to support Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s ‘Clean Ethiopia’ initiative, emphasizing the importance of collective action in achieving the goals of this significant national endeavor.
“I am proud to accept and act to implement PM Abiy Ahmed’s “Clean Streets – Healthy Lives” call/campaign throughout Ethiopia. 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 — 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 – 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚,” he noted.
Prof. Alemayehu stated that lack of sanitation facilities present a clear and immediate threat to public health.
He underlined the necessity for comprehensive measures to address the public health issue and called upon the Ethiopian Diaspora to actively engage in efforts to support their country in this matter. Pointing out sanitation as the underlying cause of the health issue, the renowned Ethiopian professor stressed that resolving sanitation issues is fundamental to tackling broader health challenges.
“The “Clean Streets – Healthy Lives” campaign gives every Ethiopian, Diaspora Ethiopian and friends of Ethiopia and others an opportunity to make an individual contribution and play a central role in the improvement of public sanitation services and overall preservation of public health in Ethiopia.”
“Clean Streets – Healthy Lives” is a public health project that belongs to the PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA. But it is also a project that must be owned individually, he added.
Most Ethiopians Use Unimproved Onsite Sanitation Facilities
According to available data, there are strong links between sanitation and stunting, and open defecation can lead to faecal-oral diseases such as diarrhea, which can cause and worsen malnutrition. Diarrhea is the leading cause of under-five mortality in Ethiopia, accounting for 23 per cent of all under-five deaths – more than 70,000 children per year.
In Ethiopia, 60 to 80 per cent of communicable diseases are attributed to limited access to safe water and inadequate sanitation and hygiene facilities and services.
While Ethiopia is progressing well to eliminate open defecation by 2030, the majority of households in rural settings use unimproved onsite sanitation facilities which do not safely contain human excreta. The availability of improved sanitation products and services particularly in rural areas is a long-standing challenge.
Thought improved sanitation services and products are available, there are issues of affordability, lack of financial mechanisms to support both customers and service providers/suppliers, and means of transportation to ensure access. For example, most small towns do not have emptying services available locally. Moreover, there are limited fecal sludge treatment and disposal sites. It is common that fecal sludge is disposed of untreated in farmlands or open turfs. This is an indirect way of open defecation which creates risks of water-borne diseases as well as environmental contamination.