- In Kenya, the Ministry of Health joined partners and stakeholders in marking World Toilet Day at the Kalobeyei Refugee Camp in Kakuma, Turkana County.
- The Ministry also activated the Epuka Uchafu, Afya Nyumbani initiative in Turkana, making it the 11th county to benefit from the programme. These efforts highlight the importance of investing in sanitation not only as infrastructure, but as dignity, health, and survival.
According to United Nations (UN) data, 3.4 billion people across the globe still live without access to safe, adequate toilets and sanitation services. These facilities are not luxuries; they are essential for human well‑being.
“Without safe sanitation, sustainable development falters,” says UN Secretary‑General António Guterres. He warns that contaminated water spreads diarrhoeal illnesses, which kill more than 1,000 children every day.
Other diseases linked to poor sanitation include cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and intestinal worms such as hookworms and tapeworms. These illnesses are difficult and expensive to treat, and in many cases they can be fatal. Outbreaks overwhelm hospitals and healthcare systems, leaving communities vulnerable to waves of infection.
The consequences of poor sanitation extend beyond health. Lack of proper facilities contaminates water sources and clogs drainage infrastructure. Poor drainage leads to stagnant wastewater, producing foul odours in homes and public spaces.
Economically, the spread of disease forces people out of work, halting productivity and weakening national economies over time. Environmentally, improper disposal of human waste pollutes soil and water, undermining agriculture and accelerating the cycle of disease.
The United Nations has launched initiatives to combat this crisis, including the provision of toilets in schools and funding sanitation programs. The UN reminds the world of four urgent truths: we will always need toilets, sanitation protects us from disease and keeps our environment clean, toilets are under pressure from rising demand and climate change, and we urgently need “future‑ready” sanitation resilient to climate change and accessible to all.
In Kenya, the Ministry of Health joined partners and stakeholders in marking World Toilet Day on November 19, 2025 at the Kalobeyei Refugee Camp in Kakuma, Turkana County.
According to the Ministry, an estimated five million Kenyans still live without access to proper sanitation facilities, with open defecation remaining widespread across 15 counties.
The Ministry also activated the Epuka Uchafu, Afya Nyumbani initiative in Turkana, making it the 11th county to benefit from the programme. These efforts highlight the importance of investing in sanitation not only as infrastructure, but as dignity, health, and survival.
