Kep is set to be officially declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) in August. It is on course to become the sixth province to attain this status, following a successful evaluation, according to Lon Sayteng, director of the Department of Rural Healthcare at the Ministry of Rural Development.

Thus far, five provinces – Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Kandal, Kampong Speu and Kampong Chhnang – have been recognised as ODF.

“I hope and believe that through our successful experience, we will push further on this task. We have achieved a good result. With our verification, Kep almost achieved 100 per cent,” said Sayteng.

Sayteng added that the ministry’s Rural Development Strategy and Action Plan 2019-2023 had targeted five provinces for ODF status, but Kandal has already achieved this ahead of schedule.

Yi Kimthan, deputy country director of Plan International Cambodia, confirmed that his organisation, in cooperation with the ministry’s healthcare department, had evaluated Kep province and found it to have achieved 100 per cent compliance.

“The ministry’s main goal is to achieve 100 per cent rural sanitation coverage by 2025, in which each household has a latrine. Having clean toilets and good infrastructure for everyone and proper waste disposal place is what the ministry is paying attention to,” Sayteng underlined.

He emphasised the importance of provinces having solid and liquid waste treatment stations, noting that Kep, Kampot and Kratie already have such facilities in place.