Neglected Public Toilets Raise Health Concerns in Yei

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – A social activist in Yei River County has called on local authorities to urgently address the deteriorating state of public toilets in Yei Town, warning that poor management of sanitation facilities could increase the risk of disease outbreaks.

Yeka Joel Denis said several development partners, including the South Sudan Development Organisation (SSDO) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), invested significant resources over the years to improve hygiene and sanitation through the construction of public latrines. However, he said many of these facilities have been abandoned due to a lack of government oversight and community ownership.

According to Yeka, public toilets located near the Youth Garden, Yei Bus Park, Dar es Salam Market, Jigomoni and Kinji Centre are no longer functional and have fallen into disrepair.

He criticised public health authorities for failing to effectively manage the facilities, arguing that the absence of functioning public toilets in a growing town such as Yei reflects poor governance and weak management of public resources.

“As I speak now, these public toilets have not been maintained. Public health officials at both the Payam and county levels are nowhere to be seen. Many of these facilities have been left in the bush without protection, and this poses a serious public health concern,” Yeka said.

The activist warned that the lack of accessible sanitation facilities could contribute to the spread of diseases such as cholera and other sanitation-related illnesses.

He urged the Yei Town Payam administration and county authorities to establish a management committee to oversee the maintenance and operation of public toilets before the situation worsens.

In response, the Head of Public Health in Yei Town Payam, Juma Ismail, confirmed that most public toilets are currently out of use due to the absence of service vendors and challenges related to cost-sharing arrangements needed for their maintenance.

He explained that resistance by some community members to pay user fees has made it difficult to sustain operations, despite substantial investments made by development partners.

“The challenges are mainly related to vendors and cost-sharing. Many people do not want to pay for services and as a result, facilities constructed by GIZ, SSDO and other partners are not functioning,” Juma said.

He added that the facilities had previously been entrusted to community chiefs for management, but his office, together with the Payam administration and other stakeholders will plan to hold consultations to investigate the problem and identify ways to rehabilitate and reopen the facilities.

The planned discussions are expected to focus on strengthening community participation and ensuring the long-term sustainability of public sanitation infrastructure in Yei Town.