By By Adamu Abdullahi
Safe and readily available water is crucial for public health, whether used for drinking, domestic purposes, food production, or recreation. Improved water supply and sanitation, as well as better management of water resources, can boost economic growth and significantly reduce poverty.
Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to the transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. The absence, inadequacy, or poor management of water and sanitation services exposes individuals to preventable health risks. This is especially true in healthcare facilities, where both patients and staff are placed at increased risk of infection and disease when water, sanitation, and hygiene services are lacking.
Gadoro, a remote rural community in Kuje Area Council of the FCT, is facing life-threatening challenges in accessing clean water and functional healthcare.
The community relies solely on a contaminated, muddy, ash-coloured stream that is unfit for human consumption. Residents use this water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing, resulting in widespread waterborne diseases.
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Additionally, the community’s only health facility has been abandoned for nearly two decades. As a result, residents rely on self-medication or travel approximately 110 km to the nearest government hospital in Abaji town. This has contributed to outbreaks of typhoid, diarrhoea, hepatitis, cholera, and in some cases preventable deaths — particularly among children and the elderly.
“The water problem affects our community. Sometimes when we go to fetch water, we have to wait for cows to drink first before we can access the water. In most cases, we end up fetching muddy water to cook or drink,” said Umul Khair.
When asked what had been done to address the issue, Abbas, a community member, said the government only told them it would look into the matter. “We contributed money ourselves to repair the existing borehole in the village. Up till now, the government has not come to our rescue,” he said.
The community is appealing to the government and non-governmental organisations to construct hand-pump boreholes to end their water challenges.
“This will help address health concerns and ensure proper hygiene in the community. We are begging the government to assist us,” he added.
“This water issue is very serious and affects all of us, both young and old. They should help us and provide durable boreholes, not the ones that stop working after a few days or weeks,” said Shuaibu.
However, efforts to reach community leaders and the authorities concerned were unsuccessful.
