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Open defecation in Pandharpur - a pilgrimage town in India - despite the availability of some (filthy) toilets, many pilgrims prefer to defecate in the open
Indiscriminate waste dumping and open defecation in the area of Shadda, Cap-Haitien, Haiti. In the background, the areas of EPPLs (seaside) and Laborie (hill).
Women raising awareness about the health impact of open defecation in Nepal.

Open defecation is the practice of defecating outside and in public, in and around the local community, as a result of ingrained cultural patterns or having no access to toilets, latrines or any kind of improved sanitation. It currently affects one billion people in the developing world, or 15% of the global population. It is a practice widely considered to be at the heart of issues around sanitation worldwide.

Practice

Members of the Luftstreitkräfte defecating outside during World War I

Open defecation dates back to historical times and also during WW-I (refer photo), a widespread problem in the developing world of African Countries and Asia. The practice is almost associated with areas of extreme poverty, rural regions, inaccessible (by tourists) areas where natives live.

Health impact

A single gram of human faeces contains as much as 10,000,000 viruses, 1,000,000 bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts and 100 parasite eggs. When ingested it can therefore lead to typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, polio, pneumonia, fatal worm infestation, trachoma, stunted physical development and impaired cognitive function. It makes open defecation a leading cause of diarrheal death; 2,000 children under the age of five die every day, one every 40 seconds, from diarrhea.

See also

References

  1. "OpenDefecation.org". 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  2. "Sanitation | International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015". Un.org. 2013-07-24. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  3. "Toilets - The Facts - New Internationalist". Newint.org. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  4. "Open Defecation and Childhood Stunting in India: An Ecological Analysis of New Data from 112 Districts". Plos One. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  5. "WHO | Diarrhoeal disease". Who.int. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
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