Liberia: Flood, poor sanitation result to health danger around Monrovia
By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – The issue of poor sanitation in and around Monrovia, Liberia’s Capital is going from bad to worst in the wake of ongoing rainy season, resulting to heavy rainfall the past days.
Contaminated water left behind by flood
One of the contaminated open wells, as the result of heavy downpours
Stockpile of dirt now causing mosquitoes in one of the communities hit by flood
One of the Communities hit by flood (water now reducing)
The situation in Monrovia and its environs has increased sanitation problem, especially in communities affected by flooding.
Affected areas include the Samuel Kanyon Doe Community, Clara Town, Topoe Village Community on the Somalia Drive and some parts of Jamaica Road, among other.
The heavy downpour of rain over the last few days socked huge piles of garbage resulting to unfavorable smells in most communities over taken by dirt, and creating mosquitoes as well.
In some cases, the heavy downpours washed away the dirt and feces (caused from open defecation) in to wells and homes.
Residents in these communities informed the WASH Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia that heavy down pours over the last few days did not only increase the problem of poor sanitation, but also left their personally belongings destroyed.
They also reported that the flood water did not destroy their belongings only, but polluted water sources in their respective communities.
The affected residents however said that human waste was seen in the flood water entering hand dug wells and around hand pumps in their communities.
According to some affected residents in Clara Town, they have to carry some personal belongings to relatives and friends for safe keeping when the water entered their houses.
The Clara Town residents explained that due to the flood their entire community is presently experiencing offensive smells from garbage that was transported to the areas by the water.
They also told the WASH Media Group that due to the unhealthy condition brought about by the flood, they fear that there will be a major outbreak of water borne diseases if residents are not mindful.
An elder in the area, Boimah Saylee described the condition as a death trap, urging parents not to allow their children swim in the nearby water as they usually do because it is heavily contaminated with garbage and human faeces.
When asked by WASH Reporters about finding another place to live due to the unhealthy condition in his community, Mr Saylee said that is the only place he has.
In all of the areas affected by flooding, residents are experiencing problems associated with pollution and bad odor caused by heavy downpour.
For her part, Nancy Gleebo a resident of Samuel Kanyon Doe Community, who also is a medical practitioner, noted that the flood has exacerbated the problem of sanitation in the community.
Madam Gleebo further said the condition at present in the area is getting from bad to worst and there is compelling need for hygiene education in order to safe guard residents from the outbreak of sickness related to poor sanitation.
“Can you imagine feces from Goal Post Toilet over the water spread into houses, wells etc. due to the flood”, Madam Gleebo stressed.
The medical practitioner further said she fears that due to the present condition, there could be a serious outbreak of skin diseases, because most of the wells are contaminated by feces.
From information gathered by the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia, some residents in the affected communities are now purchasing mineral water for drinking and also water from wells along the Somalia drive for cooking and bathing.
For residents who cannot afford to purchase water, have no alternative, but to use contaminated wells in the areas for cooking, washing and bathing.
The residents were also seen using sandbags as a means of purifying the water collected from contaminated wells in their communities.
The issue of sanitation is a grave situation in Liberia and it needs the urgent and prompt attention of government and development partners.
Sanitation statistics on Liberia released by the World Bank and the United Nations indicate that about 85% of Liberians lack safe sanitation facilities and about 1.7 million practiced open defecation.
The WASH Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia continues to raise these issues as a way of amplifying the voices of the poor and marginalized who are the worst victims in order to draw attention for solution.
This Exercise forms part of the Exclusive Media Focus on Sanitation in Montserrado County, supported by WaterAid in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
