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The country’s administration has instructed all structures responsible for environmental control and sanitary and hygienic regulation to design future infrastructure facilities taking into account resilience to climate change.
The management warned that negligence in waste management and lack of planning exacerbate the problems of flooding, environmental pollution and threats to public health.
These instructions were announced by Professor Palamagamba Kabudi, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, at the opening of the II National Sanitary Forum in Dodoma. When developing engineering solutions in the field of sanitation, it is necessary to take into account climate change, territories at risk of flooding, protection of water resources, as well as tasks to preserve public health and environmental safety. «Sanitary programs should be resistant to climatic fluctuations. Facilities should be built taking into account the specifics of the territories, ensuring the safety of water intakes and protecting human health and ecosystems», said Professor Kabudi.
The minister sharply criticized the tendency to throw garbage into storm drains, pointing out the erroneous opinion that precipitation can wash away garbage. This behavior leads to clogging of drains, an increase in the threat of flooding and harm to nature. «It is necessary to stop using drains as dumpsters. This undermines efforts to improve sanitation and creates significant environmental and epidemiological threats», the minister insisted.
Environmental problems continue to worsen in Tanzania due to global climate change, such as floods, droughts, chaotic construction and ecosystem destruction.
This threatens the quality of sanitary and hygienic services. It was noted that poor management of sewers and landfills poses significant risks to health and the environment without proper planning and maintenance.
The head of the department called on government agencies, municipalities, international partners and businesses to implement sanitary initiatives based on reliable analytics, adequate financing and long-term returns.
He also suggested developing a national program for the reconstruction of drainage networks and the modernization of waste disposal infrastructure, especially ahead of the rainy season. Professor Kabudi stressed that nature protection and conservation of water resources are the foundation of sustainable development, and investments in the sanitary sector are a contribution to the health and well-being of citizens.
He instructed to strengthen control over compliance with environmental legislation and called on the population to actively participate in environmental protection activities so that future generations inherit a clean and safe ecosystem.
The Minister also noted the importance of raising sanitary standards in markets and crowded places by creating a sufficient number of bathrooms and providing reliable hygiene points with running water for hand washing.
At the event, a national document regulating the field of sanitation was presented, which serves as the basis for the development, implementation, monitoring and analysis of work in this area throughout the country.
Professor Kabudi instructed the executive authorities to implement the provisions of the document in the processes of strategic planning, financial management, project activities, execution and supervision, eliminating the possibility of ignoring them.
According to him, the effectiveness of the new standards will be assessed by specific improvements in the quality of public services.
Stanley Mahembe, Financial Director of the Energy and Water Sector Regulatory Agency (EWURA), said that only 24 of the 84 institutions responsible for water management and sanitation have the necessary facilities for wastewater and sludge treatment.
He specified that seven organizations are building such facilities, another twelve are preparing territories for investments, while 41 institutions do not have the necessary infrastructure. «These figures highlight the need for significant investments. To create an effective sanitation system, government supervision, reliable statistics, stable financing and transparency are required», Mahembe said.
EWURA will continue to cooperate with the Ministry of Water Resources and other stakeholders to strengthen control mechanisms and encourage investments in wastewater treatment and precipitation processing, which contributes to nature conservation and public health.
The Government of Tanzania will continue to prioritize sanitation as part of efforts to protect public health, improve living standards, and promote sustainable development.
