India- more access to cell phones than toilets- top of the world in open defecation:

Jojy Cheriyan MD;MPH-March 23,2013

United Nations launched a call for urgent action day before yesterday, on March 21,2013, to end the crisis of 2.5 billion people around the world without basic sanitation, and to change a situation in which more people worldwide have mobile phones than toilets.

The call to action, which comes on the eve of World Water Day, aims to focus on improving hygiene, changing social norms, better managing human waste and waste-water, and, by 2025, completely eliminating the practice of open defecation, which perpetuates the vicious cycle of disease and poverty.

The UN called on all actors- government, civil society, business and international organizations – to commit to measurable action and to mobilize the resources to rapidly increase access to basic sanitation like clean toilets.

The sanitation problems in Asian countries especially India has been pathetic and the number of people practicing open defecation is largest in India than any other countries in the world according to the figures published by WHO (World Health Organization).

With 626 million people who practice "open defecation," India has more than twice the number of the next 18 countries combined.

Here's a list of the top 10 countries facing this challenge of "open defecation", according to the WHO and UNICEF report-

· India (626 million people who "practice open defecation")

· Indonesia (63 million)

· Pakistan (40 million)

· Ethiopia (38 million)

· Nigeria (34 million)

· Sudan (19 million)

· Nepal (15 million)

· China (14 million)

· Niger (12 million)

· Burkina Faso (9.7 million)

India is one of the most rapidly growing economy in the world with 7.4% growth during last year alone, according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund) report. According to India's 2011 Census 59% of Indian households have a mobile phone. Only 47% have a toilet on the premises. This includes pit latrines that don't use running water.

According to UNICEF improving access to toilets can also improve the safety of women and girls, who are often targeted when they are alone outdoors. And providing safe and private toilets may also help girls to stay in school which we know can increase their future earnings and help break the cycle of poverty.

By eliminating open defecation we can reduce the incidence of diarrhea in children which is the second largest killer of children under five in developing countries like India. Poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene is the cause of several communicable diseases which still remains the largest killer of people in developing countries.

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