Climate Change Worsens Sanitation Crisis in Southern Africa

8th April 2024 By The Global Heroes Health

The dire consequences of climate change are exacerbating a severe sanitation crisis in the informal settlements of southern Africa, resulting in devastating impacts on public health. The region's vulnerability to climate change-induced droughts is forcing more people into already crowded urban areas, where inadequate infrastructure and poor sanitation practices create ideal conditions for disease transmission.

Since 2022, southern Africa has witnessed alarming figures of cholera outbreaks, with at least 188,000 people infected and over 4,100 deaths reported across the region. Zambia, in particular, has been ravaged by its worst epidemic in two decades, recording 705 fatalities and more than 21,000 infections since the onset of seasonal rains in October.

The personal accounts of individuals like Febby Banda highlight the human toll of this crisis. Banda's seven-year-old son fell victim to cholera in January, underscoring the harrowing reality faced by residents of informal settlements such as the Chazanga compound in Lusaka. With no access to running water or proper sewage systems, these settlements become breeding grounds for disease, especially during periods of heavy rainfall when contaminated water sources exacerbate the spread of cholera.

President Hakainde Hichilema's call for citizens to relocate from densely populated urban areas to rural villages to curb cholera transmission faces challenges exacerbated by the El Niño climate event. This phenomenon has triggered droughts across southern Africa, leading to crop failures and economic hardships in rural areas. Paradoxically, instead of stemming the urban influx, the drought-induced food shortages are driving more people into cities, further straining already overwhelmed sanitation infrastructure.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that climate change-induced migration, compounded by inadequate infrastructure, poses a significant threat to public health in urban areas. With an estimated additional 2.5 billion people expected to reside in cities by 2050, informal settlements are at the forefront of this crisis, lacking basic sanitation facilities and outpacing governments' capacity to provide essential services.

Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe exemplify the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and inadequate sanitation infrastructure. Despite efforts by NGOs like Development Workshop Namibia to improve access to proper sanitation facilities, the influx of migrants from drought-affected rural areas continues to overwhelm existing resources.

Sebastian Husselmann's experience in Windhoek underscores the critical need for comprehensive urban planning to address the sanitation crisis effectively. The proliferation of informal settlements without adequate infrastructure makes it nearly impossible for municipalities to provide essential services like water and waste management.

In Zimbabwe, informal settlements are expanding rapidly, accompanied by a sharp decline in basic sanitation usage and alarming rates of cholera-related deaths and infections. Elias Hwenga of Zimbabwe's Red Cross Society warns that the drought-induced migration to urban areas will exacerbate waterborne diseases and other health challenges, necessitating urgent action to prevent further outbreaks.

Government officials like Mambo Hamaundu in Zambia emphasize the importance of adapting to rapid urbanization to prevent future disease outbreaks. However, addressing the root causes of the sanitation crisis requires not only infrastructure development but also behavioral change initiatives to promote proper hygiene practices and discourage open defecation.

Community-led initiatives like Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) have shown promise in fostering behavioral change, but scaling up these efforts remains a challenge. Moreover, access to clean water is crucial for maintaining hygiene, highlighting the need for comprehensive solutions that address both infrastructure and resource deficiencies.

As climate change continues to drive population growth and exacerbate environmental challenges, concerted efforts are needed to prevent further outbreaks of fecal-oral diseases in southern Africa's informal settlements. By investing in both infrastructure and community engagement, policymakers can work towards sustainable solutions that protect public health and mitigate the impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations.