₦airaland Forum

Owena Ijesa in Osun State once survived a cholera epidemic. BOLA BAMIGBOLA writes that the community is in the throes of another epidemic as refuse dumps and open defecation dot the community, which relies on the contaminated Owena River for drinking water and other domestic uses

Lawal, while painting gloomy pictures of living in Owena, where houses with modern toilet facilities were as scarce as hen’s teeth, said with the housing population of around 4,000, a little over a quarter of the figure could boast of modern toilets.

“In the Oke-Arandun area, we have about 100 houses, but the ones with toilets are not up to seven.

“Around Sago and Kwara areas, where the majority of the casualties were recorded during the time the epidemic ravaged Owena, there are more than 300 houses, but only about three of them have toilets. The lifestyle of those living in that area is appalling.

“At the Community Grammar School Area, we counted about 52 buildings out of which just four have modern toilet facilities. The situation was slightly better at Oke Ikirun and Oke Iree. At Oke Ikirun, out of over 100 buildings, we have up to 40 that do not have toilets.

“Similarly at Oke Iree, we have about 60 buildings there and we have more than 15 that do not have modern toilet facilities. When modern toilets are not available, dumpsites become a haven for inhabitants of those houses.

“So, as the community is growing, more dumpsites are being created to serve more than the purpose of receiving waste. They are also made toilets,” Lawal further explained.

Health officers absent

During the visit, our correspondent also observed the poor state of the only public healthcare facility in the town.

The head of the facility, a qualified nurse, Gbonjubola Sarumi, refused to grant an interview but allowed our correspondent to have a walk around the premises of the centre, accompanied by Lawal, the community spokesperson.

Refuse dump near PHCBesides the fact that the facility was not fenced, its toilet is old-fashioned and unhealthy for use. Less than a two-minute walk toward Owena River, which skirts the centre at the back, was a growing refuse dump oozing out the stench that could snuff life out of a light-hearted.

Next to the facility at the back, is the Ogun Shrine, where palm oil and other traditional items for worshipping the deity were found on the ground.

Also, from the record made available by Lawal, the facility takes delivery of an average of 10 pregnant women per week, leaving four staff members working at the centre overstretched.

The electricity supply to the centre is also said to have been disconnected, while staff members, usually use buckets to fetch water from the next building.

Open defecation thriving in Owena -Govt

On the open defecation thriving in Owena, Adeagbo blamed the situation on residents’ refusal to use toilets but preferred to defecate on dumpsites and other available spaces.

The state epidemiologist said government investigation had confirmed that many houses in Owena did not have modern toilets, while occupants of even those buildings with toilets are deliberately not using them due to lack of proper orientation of harmful effects of living in a dirty environment.

Calling for more advocacies to drive home the message around the negative environmental impacts of open defecation, Adeagbo further observed, “What we discovered was that there were houses that do not have toilets. It was their habit.

“It is one thing not to have toilets and it is another that you have, but don’t use. So, we had to do sensitization, telling them why they needed to use their toilets. We did house-to-house sensitisation for three days and told the people at the local government to continue with the sensitisation.

“We went back to meet the king, and his spokesperson told us that the borehole in the palace was not functioning, and we fixed it. The Ministry of Health did a lot of work there also.”

On the poor state of the only PHC in the town, Adeagbo who said the facility remains very strategic in implementing Ademola Adeleke health programmes for the town, also said “It is important to note that the government of the day is renovating health facilities, and the Owena health facility is part of the facilities that have been earmarked for renovation.”

Addressing issues concerning his ministry raised by Owena residents, the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Mayowa Adejoorin, assured that the government would ensure that dumpsites in the town were removed.

Adejoorin also said the ministry would collaborate with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and send more sanitary Inspectors to the town, stating that “We shall work together to see Owena out of dirtiness.

“We are on top of the situation. It is in our plan to work with the Environmental Health officers in the local government to sensitise and enforce the building of standard toilets in all the houses in the state, Owena inclusive. Those dump sites will be removed by the state intervention through the Ministry of Environment in a jiffy. I only implore the citizens to stop dumping refuse indiscriminately.

“Other measures we intend to embark upon include; sensitisation, enforcement and clearing of illegal dump sites by the authority.”

ResidentSnitch:
I don't know.. maybe it's their culture, just like that their other culture that they assist in preserving someone's he*ad.

ariesbull:
https://punchng.com/open-defecation-refuse-dumps-fuel-epidemic-in-osuns-owena-boundary-community-1/