COWD, in observance of World Toilet Day (WTD) 2020, conducted a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) campaign to Barangay Health Workers of thirteen (13) local barangays namely: Barangays Agusan; Iponan; 31; 35; 34; 36; 37; 38; 39; 28; 40, 19; and 27.
During the campaign, the Public Relations & Information Division personnel conducted a brief orientation on how the celebration of WTD started, how climate change have threatened our sanitation systems and the importance of proper toilet use and septage management on public health. Also discussed were hand hygiene and proper sanitation as protection against CoVID-19. They were also encouraged to use water wisely.
To reinforce the hygiene and sanitation concepts and encourage their practice, items such as handwashing facility, toilet bowl set and assorted soap and cleaning materials were turned over to the said barangay-partners for the use of their respective constituents.
Also distributed were factsheets on WTD, posters, brochures and stickers to create awareness on the importance of proper septage management in the protection of our water sources. The theme for this year’s WTD celebration is Sustainable Sanitation and Climate Change”.
World Toilet Day started in 2001 when Singaporean businessman Jack Sim started a crusade for better sanitation and hygiene practices around the world and founded the World Toilet Organisation to raise awareness about sanitation, hygiene and how poor sanitation can kill the masses and cost millions to the economy,
Sim declared November 19 each year as the World Toilet Day. On 24 July 2013, United Nations per Resolution A/RES/67/291 adopted WTD and henceforth celebrated worldwide every November 19 of each year. The event aims to bring communities around the world together to raise awareness on the global sanitation scenario.
During this time of pandemic, sustainable sanitation systems, combined with the facilities and knowledge to practice good hygiene are a strong defense against CoVID-19.