Vision Zambia Initiative Executive Director, Namutula Sindila, has urged communities to take an active role in improving water and sanitation facilities in schools to safeguard pupils from health complications.
Ms. Sindila disclosed that her organization recently received a distress call from a parent at a school in Luapula Province, reporting that several schoolgirls had fallen ill with urinary tract infections due to the use of overflowing pit latrines.
She said the parent raised serious concerns over the poor sanitation conditions and their impact on students’ health and education.
Ms. Sindila emphasized the need for communities to remain vigilant and ensure that pit latrines are properly managed and treated before use.
She warned that failure to maintain proper sanitation could result in serious health risks for learners, potentially forcing them to miss school.
Ms. Sindila also highlighted the importance of implementing the Presidential directive to increase access to public facilities with running water, particularly in schools.