African cities in poor state - WHO expert

THATO CHWAANE
Staff Writer | Friday July 11, 2008 00:00

Speaking at the end of a clean-up campaign in the Gaborone West South constituency yesterday, he said most cities in the region are in a deplorable state. She said that urban growth has outpaced the development of infrastructure and social services. 'It has also totally overwhelmed municipal authorities in most countries,' she said. 

Akim said that urban environments in Africa are characterised by insufficient safe water supplies, inadequate levels of appropriate sanitation, inadequate disposal of solid waste, drainage of surface water, and poor personal and domestic hygiene. She added that inadequate housing, overcrowding, and inadequate education and energy services also characterise urban settlements.

Akim said that recent studies have shown that the serious problems of the poor are not only the result of lack of clean water, decent housing, sanitation and basic services but also due to despair, anger, worry about jobs, debts, housing, feeling of failure and social alienation.

She said the increasing number of poor living in urban slums squatter settlements is of great concern.

She said due to the intricate relationship that exists between health and environment, the development planners believe that modifying living conditions as well as physical, socio-cultural and economic environments can tremendously improve people's health.

Hence she said that urban developments have the potential to enhance the health status of city populations. Akim commended GCC for their endeavours to keep the city clean.

Clean-up campaign chairman Batisani Maswibilili said the concept started in 2006, when the World Group of Companies and the Gaborone City Council (GCC) came together to devise means of getting the city cleaned up of building rubble, rubbish from individuals and firms. He said they then decided to divide Gaborone into constituencies and dedicate two days in every two months, to cleaning up the nation's capital.

'This has been a difficult task,' he said. He said they have been unable to get many people to participate. 'We cannot leave the cleaning to the Gaborone City Council, we all play a part in littering - let us reduce it,' he said.