Sanitation in schools in Yaounde : cause for concern

ABSTRACT

The objective of the study was to survey school sanitation facilities in two health districts in Yaounde. Questionnaires were administered to head teachers by medical students during the sanitary inspection of school premises. 15 out of 30 schools surveyed (50 percent) did not have the minimum number of toilets ; 25 schools (83 percent) did not have enough wash basins while 27 (90 percent) did not have enough urinals. All nursery schools had soap; toilet paper and hand towels in wash rooms as opposed to very few primary and secondary schools. School health nurses were not involved in health education and sanitation activities. Both head teachers and surveyors rated sanitation in the schools to be fair or poor in well over 59 percent of cases. Recommendations have been made for present Cameroonian sanitary norms to be updated and their strict application ensured