Latrine construction not only a household matter but a public good : revolutionary thinking to end a long standing problem of low coverage of improved toilets in Tanzania

For close to fifty years, most African countries have enjoyed independence from colonial regimes, a long enough time to have adequately developed the correct thinking and approaches to basic socio-economic issues that include latrine coverage and quality of toilets in households, schools and other institutions. Data from UNICEF/WHO - JMP shows that the coverage of improved latrine in Tanzania stands at just 24%.What does it mean by improved latrine; the draft sanitation and hygiene policy prepared by the MOH&SW - Tanzania has come up with a standard definition of a sanitarily latrine. This has been done for the purpose of uniformity in data interpretation across the subsector and internationally particular the JMP of WHO&UNICEF. The terms improved latrines will mean the following technologies; connection to public sewer, connection to septic system, pour-flush latrine, simple pit latrine and Ventilated improved pit latrine. [authors abstract]