Form water and sanitation forum, MPs told

May 01, 2012

Water Aid Uganda has asked MPs to form a forum on water and sanitationthat used to demand for more funding towards sanitation, water and hygiene in rural areas.

By Prossy Nandudu

Water Aid Uganda has asked parliamentarians to form a forum on water and sanitation. The forum will be used to demand for more funding towards areas of sanitation, water and hygiene in rural areas.

Water Aid country representative Alice Anukur said increased funding will see more pit-latrines constructed in rural areas for proper solid waste management and increased hand-washing campaigns.

She was briefing MPs on the sanitation situation in the country and the need for a parliamentary forum on water and sanitation issues at the Kampala Serena Hotel on Monday.

Anukur said funding towards sanitation issues has declined over time yet the burden of poor hygiene and sanitation is costing lives.

She added that reports from a recent study by Water Aid indicate that 75% of Uganda’s disease burden is preventable because it is primarily caused by poor personnel and domestic hygiene.

Anukur, however, said the above disease burden would not go down if the current financing levels towards improved water and sanitation are not improved.

“Funding towards WASH issues has been declining over time by about sh1.8b.This sounds less but it means a lot when it comes to providing people with better sanitation facilities,” she said.

Anukur added that only 65% of people living in rural areas have access to improved water sources, within a one kilometre radius while the percentage stands at 67% in urban areas.

“The parliamentary forum would ensure that there is interaction between MPs, the Government, the civil society and development partners,” Anukur said.

On the same occasion, Jacqueline Amongin, the MP for Ngora, was voted chairperson of the forum.

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