Concord Times
(Freetown)
Ibrahim Jaffa Condeh and Kevin Hill
7 October 2008
Most inhabitants of ward 327 in constituency 92, formerly Grafton displaced camp risk falling sick if problems of deteriorating toilet facilities continue unattended to. Most of them are guilty of open defecation, often in nearby bushes.
Chief Ya Alimany Bangura has called the local government to help them construct suitable toilet facilities for the beleaguered community.
"The community is looking for help from government and NGOs," she said
Sanitation conditions are getting bad and there was a general that outbreaks of cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea may result if bores holes and water wells are contaminated.
Chief Bangura said that children defecate all over the camp and this resulted in the spread of illnesses.
"The surrounding lands where we can manage to make our gardens have been used as a place to defecate," she emphasised.
However, poor conditions in the camp during this year's rains did not cause so many deaths as compared to previous years.
"We thank God this year the number of deaths is small," she said.
According to the chief there was no health centre in Grafton that could provide medical attention to the sick.
Some residents of the settlement depend on a few drug sellers to give medical attention to the entire camp.
The community has not been visited by government health workers to help sensitise people on hygiene and sanitation to provide a better, healthier environment.
Animata Kamara, a resident in the old camp, said, "We use to defecate in the toilets and later go to the nearby bushes to empty the waste. And we can only afford to dig a hole for our children to defecate, she said. The old toilets are now full and are no longer in use.
Abu B S Kumalo, the chairman of the Grafton Conscious Youth Development Association stated that the lack of toilet facilities have forced people to defecate in every corner of the community. And lack of drainage has made living in the community unhygienic.
The youth of the community do most of the cleaning without payment. "We need government to help the youth with tools for such cleaning exercise," he said.
Efforts to contact Ms. Kadie Mahoi, the local councillor for constituency 96 wards 327 in Grafton, for information on what is being done to provide basic services to the community proved futile.
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