There are certain realities that every person on Earth shares — basic things we all must do to live. We breathe, eat, drink and, though we think about it far less, we all need to use the toilet. But have you ever paused to consider what would happen if that toilet wasn’t there, or if it stopped safely carrying waste away? History has shown that every human settlement must responsibly manage waste to prevent contamination of food and water and to stop the spread of diarrhoeal diseases.
This is where sanitation becomes essential. Safely managed sanitation means having a toilet that treats or safely disposes of waste on site, stores it securely for emptying and treatment elsewhere, or connects to a functioning sewer system and treatment plant. Yet an estimated 3.4 billion people still lack these services — nearly half of the world’s population. Raising awareness and advocating for consistent local and national investment in sanitation is crucial, especially as communities face emergencies, climate-related threats and rapid urban growth.
The Centre for Enteric Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, monitors illnesses such as cholera, typhoid and other diarrhoeal pathogens that emerge when sanitation systems break down. While we cannot repair infrastructure ourselves, we can raise the alarm when cases rise, help trace sources of infection and support clinicians, authorities and the public with treatment guidelines, prevention strategies and mitigation measures.
Against this backdrop, the 2025 World Toilet Day campaign shone a light on the global sanitation crisis and called for faster action toward Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030. By encouraging people to decorate their toilets, the campaign invited reflection on this essential yet often overlooked human right — and reminded us that sanitation is fundamental to health, dignity and resilience.
We thank all the participants of the campaign and congratulate the following winners:
Category 1 – Best Dressed Toilet
Winner: Anthony Smith
Category 2 – Most Wacky Toilet
Winner: Sandrama Nadan
Category 3 – Most Educational Toilet
Winner: Lisa Sun
