REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAKASSAR - UNICEF Wash Officer, Wildan Setiabudi, said World Bank survey in 2008 showed that Indonesia was estimated to lose Rp 56 trillion due to poor sanitation.

"Poor sanitation has harmed Indonesia to Rp 56 trillion or about 2.3 percent of income percapita (GDP) of Indonesia," said Wildan in Makassar, Thursday (26/11).

He said, the loss of material and nonmateril was from lacking of awareness to use clean water and good sanitation in daily life. Based on data of Unicef, 51 million of population from about 200 million people in Indonesia were still doing defecation gratuitously (BABS).

As a result of that condition, he added, every hour there were 15 to 22 people who died from diarrhea and pneumonia, which are triggered from poor sanitation. Then, every year there were 136 thousand to 190 thousand children in Indonesia died due to the same reason.

Responding to the condition, Chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene of UNICEF, Aidan Cronin, said that he was partnered with international institution to intensify the movement and the campaign of National Action Boxing Feces.

"It was intended for Indonesia to be free from BABS," he added.

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