The disclosure by a World Bank report that Kenya loses Sh27 billion each year due to poor sanitation is not only shocking, but also sends an alarm that all is not well in the health sector.

While we know very well that diarrhoea is the second biggest killer of children under the age of five after pneumonia, our Government only invests a paltry of 0.5 per cent of national income in sanitation.

This is also a pointer to the fact that Vision 2030 may remain a pipe if the health sector, which is one of this vision’s social pillars, is continually put on the backburner.

It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, but how will this be possible if we have poor health policies in place?

To worsen the situation, our leaders have no faith in our health institutions, as occasionally they fly abroad for medical attention. Time has come when we must all vouch for more investment in healthcare and sanitation as one way of transforming this country into a middle income-economy.

We clearly need cross-sector efforts for the dissemination of necessary information and services to the ever increasing population with a view to containing this situation before it escalates.

The Government must first review the allocation it gives to this sector from the national coffers to enable the ministry involved roll out programmes and campaigns that will see this worrying trend contained.

The public, through the help of Public Health officers, must embrace and uphold the spirit of Community Led Total Sanitation Programme in order to have an open defecation free environment.

The media must also play its role by providing more time and space for coverage of health issues.

Nicanor Ndiege Nairobi

Kenya should now pull up its socks after a World Bank report on water and sanitation revealed that more than 21 million Kenyans, more than half the country’s population, use unsanitary or shared latrines.

According to the damning report, 5.6 million others have no latrines at all and are forced to defecate in the open.

With the release of the damning figures, the spotlight is now on Government to come up with initiatives to ensure there are enough sanitation facilities.

Dennis Lubanga, Nairobi