Washking for safe and sustainable sanitation

In Ghana, access to safe and hygienic toilets remains a significant challenge, with only 14% of the population having such access in 2020. Nearly 5.5 million individuals are forced to resort to open defecation, resulting in severe public health risks. Existing soak pits and septic tanks often overflow, especially during the rainy season, leading to water contamination and the spread of waterborne diseases. Contaminated water poses a greater threat to human lives than diseases such as measles, and tuberculosis combined. Diarrhea alone claimed the lives of over half a million people in 2016, with more than 1,200 children dying every day from cholera and diarrhea. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, safe water and sanitation have been identified as one of the 17 UN sustainability goals for 2030.