CULTIVATE HEALTHY LIVING HABITS (PAGE 21, APRIL 14, 2010)

THE Manager of the Binaba Area Community Health Project, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mr Simon Amoah, has stressed the need for people to strive in cultivating healthy living habits.
He mentioned the regular cleaning of surroundings and avoiding open defecation as some of the practices that could guarantee quality living.
Mr Amoah also urged people without any of toilet facilities to dig and bury their faecal matter as a way of safely disposing of human excreta.
Mr Amoah gave the advice at a ceremony at Binaba to mark the world’s longest queue, which coincided with the World Water Day celebrated annually.
The event was aimed at re-echoing the importance of improved sanitary facilities for national development.
A total of 104 women joined a queue to symbolise the need for toilet facilities in the community.
According to Mr Amoah, the national coverage with regard to the provision of improved toilets facilities was nothing to write home about, showing a meagre 11 per cent national coverage with the Bawku District having a 2.2 per cent coverage.
He said that was very disheartening, especially when one reflected on the high prevalence of sanitation-related illness and their disastrous effects on the population.
Mr Amoah said reports indicated that diarrhoeal diseases and intestinal worms, which are sanitation-related illnesses, were among the 10 common diseases frequently seen at the outpatients department throughout the district.