Ghana is grappling with a significant sanitation challenge: approximately 5.4 million people—18 % of the national population—still practice open defecation. Yaw Attah Arhin, WASH Technical Specialist at World Vision Ghana, describes the situation as alarming, noting that it undermines public health, child survival, and national development. Open defecation costs the nation an estimated $79 million annually, while poor sanitation overall results in a loss of $290 million each year.
Inadequate infrastructure compounds the problem. About 55 % of the population shares toilets, and 23 % rely on public toilet facilities, making it difficult to prevent the spread of sanitation‑related diseases such as cholera and diarrhea. Diarrhea remains a major cause of child mortality, claiming 3,600 lives annually. The situation in public basic schools is equally disturbing: 26 % of schools lack toilet facilities, forcing pupils to use bushes or return home during school hours. This contributes to absenteeism, poor academic performance, and exposure to abuse. Girls are particularly affected, often skipping school altogether because of the lack of privacy and hygiene.
Sanitation also intersects with maternal health. Infections linked to open defecation and poor sanitation account for 15 % of all maternal deaths in Ghana. To confront these challenges, Arhin calls for stronger prioritization, sustained financing, and unified action among stakeholders. He urges film producers, musicians, influencers, and broadcasters to embed sanitation messages in their work, arguing that their collective platforms could significantly shift public attitudes.
As the world observes World Toilet Day, Ghana must reawaken its “sanitation conscience” and place sanitation at the forefront of public discourse. By working collectively to make hygiene a way of life and addressing open defecation and poor sanitation, Ghana can reduce the risk of sanitation‑related ailments, improve public health, and promote national development.
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