Countrywide hand washing campaign launched in Kawempe

Oct 10, 2007

NATIONAL<br><br>THEY work very hard and by lunch time, they are too hungry to wait any longer. Entering the nearest food joint, washing their hands before eating is the last thing on their minds. They only wash after eating.

NATIONAL

By Joshua Kato and Godfrey Kimono

THEY work very hard and by lunch time, they are too hungry to wait any longer. Entering the nearest food joint, washing their hands before eating is the last thing on their minds. They only wash after eating.

According to health officials, this is the largest cause of the spread of hygiene related diseases, because in between their work, people visit toilets and forget to wash their hands.

This is why a hand washing campaign has been launched through several districts in the country.

The campaign, the first of its kind, was launched at Kawempe Mbogo Muslim Primary School in Kampala, a few weeks ago, to help families to fight diseases by using soap when washing hands.

The campaign has been piloted in Mbale, Lira, Kabale, Kiboga, and Kampala, with a specific focus in Kawempe division.

The hand washing campaign is spear-headed by the National Hand Washing Steering Committee chaired by the Environmental Health Division of the Ministry of Health.

Hajji Nasser Takuba, the LC3 chairman Kawempe division, said a healthy environment is every person’s right, according to the 1995 Constitution.

“We have to pass on this information to people so that they can understand how to prevent contracting diseases that claim many lives and yet can easily be prevented,” Takuba says.

According to Mohamed Kirumira, the Kawempe chief health inspector, diarrhoea is responsible for 20% of infant deaths in Uganda, of which Kawempe Health Centre IV receives 90 diahorrea cases per month excluding those who go to private clinics and other health facilities.

Kirumira said Kawempe division is set to lead the pace for the rest of the country and even beyond Uganda’s borders to avoid unnecessary disease burden and costs to the people.

“Ugandans spend up to sh62b on Diarrhoea cases and sh60.9b on acute respiratory infections,” Takuba says.

Lars Rimmer, the deputy head of development cooperation and representative of the Danish Ambassador, as the chief guest on the occasion, says Uganda and Danish governments take hand washing very serious.

This is because thousands of children under five years die annually from diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections like Pneumonia. “This is a silent dilemma yet if hand washing with soap is promoted and practiced effectively; it could save Ugandans of 33.5 billion shillings a month,” Rimmer says.

The campaign primarily targets mothers and children. It will be carried out in health units, primary schools, market days, and religious places of worship to ensure that the campaign reaches all segments of society.

“The LCs have told us about it. It is a good idea,” says Mary Namwanje, a housewife in Kalerwe.

Scientific studies show that, when promoted effectively and consistently, hand washing with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrhoea by 47% and can reduce incidence of acute respiratory infections by up to 30%.

Records form the Ministry of Health show that in Uganda, the top child killers are malaria (24%), pneumonia (2 1%) and diarrhoea (17%), yet it can be changed by washing hands using soap.

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