For clean public toilets

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THE issue of clean public toilets recently came to focus in a newspaper report under the caption, 'More public toilets'. The issue was raised by Ms. Selina Akhter, out of her personal experience. It needs to be tackled without delay in the interest of public health.
She correctly stated that keeping public toilets clean should get top priority. I would say it must get top priority. Unless properly cleaned continuously, public toilets become the very source of many germs and communicable diseases. Unhygienic toilets do create more problems. The department concerned (or government agency), should help save the money that is spent on hospitalisation and treatment of infectious diseases. Spending on public toilet-cleaning would be economical for the nation. It would be like "a stitch in time, saves nine"!
Toilet cleaning, mind you, is an important matter and needs strict supervision. Unfortunately, it is neglected. Totally unsupervised, it is left in the hands of municipal cleaners. The result is there for all to see!
There should be due emphasis on 'proper cleaning' with disinfectant fluids. Strict supervision and follow-up by superiors is a must, if we want to contain seasonal infectious diseases. For doing this properly, the authorities must assign the responsibility to identified personnel area-wise with close supervision by responsible officials.
This is a task needing regularity and discipline. Otherwise, each and every public toilet will be a source of disease. So negligence of duty in this job should not be tolerated at all.

S. A. Mansoor
Dhaka.