The Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority’s Population Health Team recently (November 25th, 2025) joined the people of Kopeng Healthy Village in the Tambul-Nebilyer district to commemorate World Toilet Day, issuing a strong call for communities to embrace safe sanitation and hygiene practices.

This year’s theme, “We’ll always need the toilet”, highlighted the vital role toilets play in protecting health, safeguarding the environment, and upholding dignity while promoting sustainable hygiene for all. 

The celebration brought together villagers and Healthy Island committees to reinforce the Healthy Island Concept (HIC), a holistic approach to health promotion that empowers communities, organizations, and government agencies to work hand-in-hand through a bottomup process.

Key highlights of the program included encouragement for households to build and use safe toilets, installation of handwashing stations and promotion of proper hand hygiene with soap after toilet use and at other critical times, health education sessions addressing the root causes of waterborne diseases and preventive measures, and awareness on lifestyle diseases and information about health services available at Mt Hagen Provincial Hospital.

Melisa Steven, the Environmental Health Officer, encouraged the communities to practice safe hygiene to avoid sickness. She reminded everyone that toilets are a permanent necessity for healthier, stronger, and more sustainable communities.

The Western Highlands PHA further extended its heartfelt gratitude to Panamax Pacific Limited and City Pacific Limited for their thoughtful donation of bathing soaps and laundry detergents, as these will support the communities in maintaining healthy living practices and promote wellbeing.