Kandal province’s Sa’ang district reached “open defecation free” (ODF) status after the provincial Department of Rural Development gave official verification on September 16.

ODF status indicates that all or nearly all communities and households have access to toilets and latrines or some other means of safe disposal of excrement. It is considered an important development benchmark for health and safety according to international standards.

Provincial rural development department director Chi Thavy said that Sa’ang district was the last district to achieve ODF status at the provincial level among five other districts: Koh Thom, Mok Kampoul, Ponhea Leu, Takhmao and Kien Svay. Four other districts – Ang Snuol, Kandal Stung, Loeuk Dek and Khsach Kandal – were also formally recognised by the Ministry of Rural Development.

The provincial administration’s Facebook page quoted Thavy as saying that the verification was through an assessment made at the provincial level and that the ministry would go and do its final assessment of the province.

“When going to make its assessment, the ministry does not let us know in advance which locations it will visit, so it could be any village, commune or district,” she said.

She added that village, commune and district authorities must be ready for the inspection and ensure that schools, commune halls, districts halls, hospitals and public places like restaurants all have proper, clean, odorless toilets and farmers should also maintain a clean environment for raising livestock like pigs, chickens, and ducks.

She continued that by doing so they will receive an improved assessment of ODF indicators for Kandal province, which will then become the third ODF province in the country, as planned.