Nearly half of households in Matabeleland North are practising open defecation, highlighting persistent sanitation challenges across the province, according to a ZimLAC report.
The report’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) findings show that 46% of households in Matabeleland North practise open defecation, while 4.1% rely on unimproved sanitation services.
Only 50% of households in the province have access to improved sanitation services, according to the findings.
The figures place Matabeleland North among provinces where sanitation remains a significant challenge, particularly for rural households that may have limited access to affordable and hygienic toilet facilities.
At district level, Binga recorded the highest proportion of households practising open defecation at 80.1%, followed by Tsholotsho at 56.5%.
The report shows that 46.8% of households in Hwange practise open defecation, while the figure stands at 42.6% in Lupane and 36.9% in Nkayi.
Umguza recorded 37.1%, while Bubi had the lowest proportion among the districts at 21.1%.
The report also highlights the scale of the sanitation gap facing communities, with several districts recording substantial proportions of households without improved sanitation services.
In its recommendations, ZimLAC calls for Government and development partners to address inadequate sanitation and reduce open defecation, particularly through support for rural households.
“To address the challenge of inadequate sanitation and significantly decrease open defecation, the Government of Zimbabwe in collaboration with its development partners should establish and implement a comprehensive support programme for rural households specifically aimed at facilitating the construction of affordable, accessible and hygienic toilets,” the report says.
The findings come as sanitation remains closely linked to public health, particularly in communities where households have limited access to safe and improved toilets.
For Matabeleland North, the report points to a need for greater investment in sanitation infrastructure, particularly in districts such as Binga and Tsholotsho where open defecation affects more than half of households.
The findings also raise questions about how rural sanitation programmes can reach households that cannot afford to construct improved toilets without external support.
ZimLAC recommends continued intervention by Government and its development partners to improve sanitation access and reduce the number of households relying on open defecation.