Quality of latrines and willingness to improve them in rural Ethiopia

Ethiopia recorded the worldwide fastest increase in latrine coverage over the past two decades, but it was largely achieved by the adoption of latrines that do not meet basic hygienic standards. Therefore, this study aims to examine the quality of latrines and their upgrading at household level through a case study from the Loka Abaya district, South Ethiopia. Of the initially sampled 549 households, 422 (77%) had private latrines, and a survey was administered among them. The data were characterized descriptively, and correlates of the latrine quality and willingness to improve were analysed. The average latrine quality score in the sample was only 2.8 of the maximum six quality dimensions. Despite the low quality of latrines, 63% of respondents were satisfied with their sanitation situation. Both past improvements and plans to improve latrines were frequently reported. However, these changes mostly involved regular maintenance or reconstructions of collapsed latrines. No substantial upgrading of the functionality was identified. We identified inadequate awareness about the means of hygienic sanitation implying the importance of community education. Demand for as well as supply of hygienic sanitation products are further constrained by the low purchasing power of households implying a need for sanitation subsidies.