Monggar has been declared Open Defecation Free district, the first among the 20 districts to achieve the status. The dzongkhag has also achieved 100 per cent improved sanitation coverage.
This was revealed as the World Toilet Day was marked in Trongsa yesterday. The people in 17 gewogs of Monggar now have access to proper and hygienic toilets.
The health officials in the dzongkhag aim to do more. “We have discussed with the local leaders and decided to issue construction permits only to the households that have plans for a proper toilet in the construction maps,” said Rinchen Tshering, a Senior Health Assistant with Yangbari BHU in Monggar.
“Likewise, it’s the same with timber permits. We have also proposed for a separate budget annually for awareness campaigns on sanitation and hygiene.”
Another 12 gewogs of Samdrup Jongkhar, Lhuentse, Trashigang and Wangdue Phodrang have achieved the feat this year. This takes the total number of gewogs with Open Defecation Free status and hundred percent improved sanitation coverage to 39. Gups and health officials from these gewogs were commended for the achievement at the World Toilet Day celebration.
Bhutan still has around 30 per cent of its rural households without access to improved sanitation. Since 2008, the Department of Public Health of the Ministry of Health has worked on the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Program, an initiative aimed at reducing diseases caused by poor sanitation facilities.
With support from international donors, the program has been implemented in 10 districts across the country so far. “The national objective is to have 80% improved sanitation coverage by the end of the 11th Five Year Plan,” said Rinchen Wangdi, a Chief Engineer with the Department of Public Health.
“We already had 79 per cent by last year and since we haven’t collected the data for this year, we are expecting to achieve around 85% by this time next year. We have now discussed with the local leaders to make it mandatory for people who want to construct new houses to have a provision for a proper toilet in their structural maps.”
A book called “Chabsang Chag Tshe Lo”, which has stories and case studies of the best practices of Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Program, was also launched.
Besides health benefits, improved sanitation comes with other socio-economic benefits such as increased schoolgirl attendance and tourist arrival.
The World Toilet Day next year will be celebrated in Tsirang.
