Lack of toilets causes dysentery in Soroti
Nov 25, 2002
THE Iteso have taken advantage of their vast land and are using it as a toilet. This has, however, led to an outbreak of diarrhoea diseases like dysentery.
By Kenneth Otim in Soroti
THE Iteso have taken advantage of their vast land and are using it as a toilet. This has, however, led to an outbreak of diarrhoea diseases like dysentery.
Mr Edward Egau, the Soroti health inspector, told The New Vision that there was an increase in the number of people with dysentery and cholera. He attributed this to lack of toilets in homes.
Many people in Teso defecate in bushes and after it has rained, the feaces contaminate their water sources, causing diarrhoea diseases.
A team form the Ministry of Health that visited the district recently urged the district to set up a team that should be on alert in case of an epidemic during the current El-nino period.
Egau also urged pregnant women to visit health centres for antenatal care adding that, “most pregnant women buy drugs from clinics where people have no trained health workers. They buy pain killers like panadol instead of chloroquine to treat malaria.â€
Dr Olive Sentumbwe of the WHO, has donated two ambulances to Serere and Kasilo health centres.
Ends
THE Iteso have taken advantage of their vast land and are using it as a toilet. This has, however, led to an outbreak of diarrhoea diseases like dysentery.
Mr Edward Egau, the Soroti health inspector, told The New Vision that there was an increase in the number of people with dysentery and cholera. He attributed this to lack of toilets in homes.
Many people in Teso defecate in bushes and after it has rained, the feaces contaminate their water sources, causing diarrhoea diseases.
A team form the Ministry of Health that visited the district recently urged the district to set up a team that should be on alert in case of an epidemic during the current El-nino period.
Egau also urged pregnant women to visit health centres for antenatal care adding that, “most pregnant women buy drugs from clinics where people have no trained health workers. They buy pain killers like panadol instead of chloroquine to treat malaria.â€
Dr Olive Sentumbwe of the WHO, has donated two ambulances to Serere and Kasilo health centres.
Ends