Only three out of 10 Angolans have piped water inside their dwelling or compound, and four out of 10 have to leave their compound to use the bathroom, according to the country’s first Afrobarometer survey. Almost half do not have a connection to the public electricity grid.
Based on data collected in November-December 2019, these findings highlight the challenges many Angolan families face in complying with hygiene and stay-at-home measures designed to fight the spread of COVID-19.
The government has declared a “state of public calamity” intended to gradually ease some of the restrictions imposed under the previous state of emergency. However, this new phase has coincided with an increase in cases of local coronavirus infection, heightening the risk of community circulation of the coronavirus. In these circumstances, infrastructure weaknesses challenge political leaders and development partners to improve the supply of piped water, field toilets, and electricity.
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