Sanitation facilities poor in most parts of Banyumas

Some 97 percent of the 331 subdistricts in Banyumas regency, Central Java, have been categorized as having poor and unhealthy sanitation facilities, the local Health Agency has revealed.

Agency head Widiyanto said that only 10 subdistricts in the regency of 1.8 million people had proper sanitation facilities. “The rest are categorized as having poor sanitation facilities that pose high risks to human health,” Widiyanto said Wednesday.

More concerning, according to Widiyanto, is the fact that sanitation problems are evident not only in rural locations but also in urban areas.

In this modern era, he said, many households in urban areas still do not have a toilet. Instead, people mostly defecate in rivers, which they seem to look upon as big toilets. “This is really a serious problem.”

In many public facilities such as mosques, bus terminals, entertainment spots and gas stations in the regency, the agency also found sanitation facilities that were far from healthy and well maintained, much less comfortable to use.

“The toilets are dirty, indicating that the managements are not serious about looking after their respective environments,” he said.

He blamed the condition on people’s attitudes and low awareness on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, accounting for why they did not see it as important to manage their human waste. “It’s now our task to keep supervising people on the matter,” he said.

He added that poverty was partly to blame for the condition.

Data at the agency showed that in 2010 alone, there were more than 33,000 diarrhea cases, 651 dengue fever cases and 42 malaria cases in Banyumas. “This is really embarrassing, but I don’t want to cover it up. I want it fixed,” Widiyanto said.

Darbe, 34, of Berkoh, East Purwokerto, Banyumas, said poor sanitation in the regency bothered him. “Many of my friends and neighbors still defecate in rivers,” he said, blaming the condition on low awareness on health issues.

He also partly blamed the condition on the limited space to build sanitation facilities, but said the problem could be resolved if the awareness was there.

Similarly, Banyumas Regent Marjoko conceded that sanitation was poor in the regency and said his administration would tell relevant government institutions to educate the community on the importance of good sanitation.

“Poor sanitation is a national problem, not just the problem of Banyumas regency,” he said.