Open-defecation and Attainment of SDG Six - Evidence from Kintampo Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Ghana

Abstract

BackgroundThe Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) six partly targets at ending open defecation (OD) by 2030. It is essential to assess progress towards this target in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where the sanitation target of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) was largely not achieved. About 215 million people are involved in OD in SSA. In Ghana, it is estimated that three out of five Ghanaians practice OD. This study examined whether the OD free target is achievable by 2030.MethodThis study used longitudinal health and demographic surveillance data from two districts in Kintampo. Data were collected from household heads or their representatives over a 12-year period. In an exploratory analysis, the correlation between total number of households, year, and total number of OD households was obtained. The average percentage yearly increase in OD was computed and used to project the percentage of OD for the years 2020, 2025 and 2030. In addition, geo-spatial technology was used to visualize variability in OD across the twelve sub-Districts. ResultsThe results showed that the OD free target is not achievable in 2030 or even after if the current trend continues. In 2016, more than two out of five households defecate openly. In six out of the 12 sub-Districts, more than half of the households openly defecated. Four out of these six sub-Districts were in the Kintampo North Municipality.ConclusionThe 2030 OD free target is not achievable in the Kintampo districts of Ghana.