A study conducted by the United Nations showed that there are about one billion people who need to be educated about the risks of practicing open defecation including the spread of diseases and death.

The UN experts launched the study on Thursday focusing on water drinking and hygiene.

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The World Health Organization acting coordinator for sanitation and health Bruce Gordon said that poop is root of a lot of diseases.

A report from Reuters also said that communities that continue the practice of open defecation are at higher risk for deadly diseases including diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A. These diseases are also the highest cause of deaths for children under 5 years of age.

The report went on saying that the study conducted by the United Nations say that people’s attitude needed to change as the poorest countries in the world have long focused in constructing toilets.

UNICEF statistician Rolf Luyendijk said that the result of the study were terrible latrines were left abandoned, some not even used while others converted to storage sheds, as people think that they would have extra spaces instead of properly using a toilet.

Countries including Vietnam and Bangladesh have virtually stopped the practice of open defecation since 2012 from 1990 where one out of three people relieved themselves in the open.

The global number of people practicing open defecation has declined from 1.3 billion in the 90s. However, some are still continuing the practice, 90 percent of which came from rural areas, said the United Nations study.

In contrast, 26 countries in the African region need to be educated with proper sanitation as the practice has increased with Nigeria the worst offender. In 1990, Nigeria listed 23 million people practicing open defecation which has increased to 39 million in 2012.

Tagsopen defecation, UNICEF, Rolf Luyendijk, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Africa, Nigeria