All banks and supermarkets have been given one month to provide free sanitation services to their clients.
The 120-day notice to comply with the directive expired towards the end of last month and director of public health in the Ministry of Health, Kepha Ombacho, has warned that the government will crack the whip.
“The ministry’s position is that provision of public sanitation facilities must be free. That is why all banks, supermarkets, parks, bus stations and other public places must have clean water and sanitation systems like washrooms,” reiterated Dr Ombacho.
The conference, themed 'Accelerating access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation in Kenya', was planned to speed up implementation of the sanitation and hygiene programme in the country.
[caption caption="Banking Hall"]
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Ombacho further urged all county governments to enforce the Public Health Act to ensure the best sanitation standards are achieved.
“Before a hotel, supermarket or bank is cleared to operate, it must meet minimum sanitation requirements. But county governments let these businesses circumvent the rules and allow the public to pay to use washrooms.
“In Nakuru and Narok, a bus driver can’t stop on the way and let passengers go and defecate in the open. They will be arrested and fined. This is what should be happening in all the counties,” he added.
The directive to put up toilets for clients in banks and supermarkets was issued in 2017 after around 28 counties reported sanitation-related deaths that could have been prevented.
Apparently, some of the institutions that have sanitation services charge clients to use them, which should not be the case.
"Management should, therefore, decide on whether they are running sanitation business or selling products," warned Ombacho last year.
[caption caption="Kepha Ombacho"]
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