Sanitation and hygiene are crucial for public health, preventing diseases like diarrhea and respiratory infections. They are vital for socio-economic development, as they improve child development, promote school attendance, and boost productivity. By preventing the spread of pathogens, safe sanitation and hygiene also help protect the environment and food security.

Sanitation and hygiene prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, which are major causes of death especially among children. They also prevent malnutrition by preventing intestinal infections that affect food absorption in the intestines. .

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Access to water, as part of sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in communities is key to controlling the spread of infections on top of combating antimicrobial resistance.

Safe sanitation and hygiene promotes human dignity, especially for women and girls who are disproportionately affected by the lack of proper sanitary and sanitation facilities. Healthier populations are more productive, contributing to overall economic development.

Sanitation and hygiene also has environmental benefits, a clean environment helps to prevent pollution and contamination of water and food, thus reducing incidences of infections and discomforts arising from a polluted environment.

 

Investing is sanitation and hygiene also presents job opportunities for a multitude of people due to the continuous flow of waste that needs to managed yet the waste also provides economic benefits if recycled into usable out outs such as animal feed, fertilizer, paper and plastics, among others.