A Dive into the Challenges of Community-Led Total Sanitation [CLTS] in Nigeria
- July 23, 2020
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: Health Sciences, IJRSI
International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue VII, July 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705
A Dive into the Challenges of Community-Led Total Sanitation [CLTS] in Nigeria
Oluwatuyi Shegun Victor1*, Ogunyemi Kayode Michael2, Sam-Ijadele Oluwakemi Ifedayo2, Dada Olawumi Abiodun2, Bello Mojisola2, Agbele Tolulope Alaba3, Olusuyi Abimbola M1
1Department of Public Health, Ekiti State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti, Nigeria
2Department of Environmental Health, Ekiti State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti, Nigeria
3Department of Basic Medical Science, Ekiti State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author
Abstract:- Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) is a modern tool that has proven to be effective in improving sanitation in many countries. It is a self-realizing approach adopted by the community members to stop open defecation (OD) and promote a feces free environment. Nigeria has adopted CLTS which has been scaled up to some remote areas but significant challenges exist which should serve as a point of evaluation and possible areas of improvement for the Nigeria Government, hence, the need for this article. The methodology adopted was on content analysis of secondary data through a comprehensive search using electronic databases. Related published articles (2010-2020) were reviewed from Web of Science, PubMed, Publon, goggle scholar and Researchgate databases. Related documents with in-depth analysis of CLTS problems in Nigeria were also considered. This review identifies some challenges of CLTS in Nigeria ranging from Socio-cultural factors Over-dependence on subsidy, Population, Literacy, untrained personnel among others. Government’s commitment by grooming of skilled facilitator, building of stakeholdership, collaboration of the public health sector and empowerments of Health Institutions to scale up CLST program to remote communities should be considered. Other areas for further reviews were also identified.
Keywords: CLTS, Open Defecation Free, Open Defecation, Total Sanitation.
I. INTRODUCTION
In August 2007 the expanded CLTS pilot project was evaluated with the objective of assessing efficiency, effectiveness and relevance, and to recommend ways of improving and scaling up CLTS in Nigeria. The evaluation was participatory in nature, stressed learning and capacity building amongst stakeholders, and focused on assessing project processes. A sample of 13 of the 24 communities was directly assessed by the evaluation team. The main finding of the evaluation is that the CLTS approach in the project area has generally been very successful in promoting significant reductions in the practice of open defecation in communities, with many of the assessed communities achieving open defecation-free status. The project was remarkably successful in promoting the construction of latrines: the 13 communities progressed from a total of 116 latrines before CLTS was initiated to 1,060 over an eight month period – all unsubsidized. This is an unprecedented rate of progress in Nigeria for unsubsidized latrines.
