News outlets examine sanitation in Ethiopia, Liberia

The Daily Monitor examines efforts underway to improve sanitation and promote hygiene in Ethiopia. According to the country's Ministry of Health, "sanitation coverage of Ethiopia has made progressive achievement reaching 54.8% in the current year from 11.5% in 2003," the newspaper reports.  

During the recent 2nd National Sanitation and Hygiene Festival in Addis Ababa, Ministry of Health representative Tesfaye Zewde described how an estimated 24,000 health workers are making home visits to educate Ethiopians about sanitation and hygiene.

"In Ethiopia, it is estimated that about 35 million people do not have access to sanitation services and over half a million children under the age of five die every year from diarrhea. … Safe and adequate water supply, improved sanitation and hygienic practices can save thousands of children's lives each year, [Zewde] added," the newspaper writes (Tesfaye, 11/23).

Inter Press Service examines the health effects of poor sanitation in Liberia. "Over three million Liberians have no access to safe sanitation facilities," says Muyatwa Sitali, of Oxfam UK, a group that works on Liberia's water, sanitation and hygiene consortium - a contributing factor to disease.

As Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf implements "a free nationwide public health care policy for children under five years old, a crucial step towards her promise to provide universal health care for all Liberians," the article examines the difficulties parents of children with severely malnourished children with diarrhea and dehydration face in trying to get their children the care they need (Murray, 11/23).