Study reveals faecal matter lurks on cash, mobile phones

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Your phone, wallet, and keyboard could be dirtier than a toilet seat, experts warn.

Speaking in Uganda, Dr Almea Matanock, a Centre for Disease Control (CDC) medical officer from the United States, cited a University of Pittsburgh study revealing that 10% of credit cards, 14% of banknotes, and 16% of mobile phones carry faecal matter.

She explained that these everyday objects often harbour more germs than toilet seats, posing a potential health risk.

Matanock made these remarks during the opening of a five-day training workshop for 70 frontline health workers, organised under the Ebola Early Response Project and funded by the Start Fund Network.

The training, implemented by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF Uganda) in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH), was launched at Mulago Hospital’s Ebola Training Unit on Monday, March 17, 2025.

Her claims align with research conducted by the UK-based Queen Mary University of London, which in October 2012 revealed that one in 10 bank cards and one in seven banknotes are contaminated with faecal organisms. This has been validated by other international organisations, including UNICEF.

The event was officiated by Dr Charles Ssali, a principal dental surgeon from the health ministry’s clinical services department, who represented health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng.

The training aims to equip 70 frontline health workers from isolation facilities and emergency treatment units with essential skills. It also includes training 470 Village Health Teams (VHTs) and Parasocial Workers in Mbale to support emergency response through community outreach, surveillance, and psychosocial support.

Monica Rwotmon, a Programme Support Officer at LWF Uganda, commended the Ministry of Health for its swift response to public health emergencies and praised medics for their selfless dedication.

“We focus on community engagement but realised that health workers need training to cater to their mental health needs because you are also prone to mental health breakdowns,” she noted.

Rwotmon highlighted LWF’s 45-year presence in Uganda, particularly in refugee settings and response to public health emergencies such as floods and famine.

The five-day training, fully funded by LWF and Start Fund, has drawn nurses, doctors, surgeons, and other health workers from regional referral hospitals and various districts, including Kayunga, Gulu, Lira, and Entebbe.

“You are our foot soldiers. Mpox and Ebola, as you are all aware, remain major concerns in this country, with cases increasing. We need to work tirelessly to stop the spread,” Dr Ssali told the medics in his opening remarks.

He urged participants to attend all training sessions and transfer their knowledge to benefit regional hospitals and subsidiary health centres.

“I recognise our development partners. LWF, we thank you for your support,” he emphasised.

The training sessions are being led by Dr Matanock and Dr Michael Nanjubu, a medical officer from the Baylor Foundation Uganda.

The Start Fund Network collaborates with member NGOs to develop innovative approaches to humanitarian assistance. It aims to deliver effective aid by harnessing the collective expertise of its network, enabling faster and better responses to crises.

The fund provides rapid humanitarian support for underfunded small and medium-scale crises, as well as forecasts and spikes in chronic emergencies.

What other studies say

A 2017 American study titled Dirty Money found that U.S. banknotes, made from a blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen, may attract more bacteria than currencies from other countries.

According to ResearchGate, various studies have reported bacterial contamination levels ranging from 60% to 100% on tested paper currencies. Similar findings have emerged from research on currencies from India, Bangladesh, and the UK. In 2012, a study in the UK revealed that 26% of faecal bacteria was present on people’s hands.