By Umamah Bakharia

Today marks- World Toilet Day with according to the United Nations is an official international observance day to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. This year’s theme is ‘Valuing Toilets’.

According to UN reports, 3.6 billion people are currently faced without safely managed sanitation, and this indicates that there will be no sustainable future without toilets.

In South Africa, 300 279 schools make use of ‘pit latrines’. The tragedy around ‘pit-toilets’ in schools were put into stark reality since 2013 with at least five children who drowned in them or were badly injured. The most prominent of these cases, is that of the drowning of Michael Komape.

Radio Islam speaks to senior brand manager at Domestos, Nobuhle Ngubane on the effects of the lack of sanitary toilets.

“When one is exposed to unhygienic toilets, their natural reaction is try to avoid going to the toilet which impacts the bodies functioning which causes an increase in illnesses,” says Ngubane.

She adds that these toilets have not only a physical impact on a person using it but a psychological one which includes embarrassment, anxiety etc. and a bigger economical issue.

Join the global #WorldToiletDay conversation and show the world how much you care about toilets.