Most Masaka residents do not wash hands

Jan 17, 2010

OVER 58% of Masaka residents do not wash hands after visiting the toilet, the district inspector of health, Medi Bukenya, has said.

By Dismus Buregyeya

OVER 58% of Masaka residents do not wash hands after visiting the toilet, the district inspector of health, Medi Bukenya, has said.

“Even here at the district council headquarters, we do no have clean water and soap for the councillors and visitors,” he said.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Bukenya said most residents preferred to clean their hands after eating.

He said the withdrawal of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) from the water and sanitation programme affected the schools especially those under the UPE scheme.

“Initially, UNICEF was providing water and soap. Now, the pupils are exposed to diseases like typhoid and diarrhoea,” Bukenya said.

He pointed out that each latrine is being used by over 70 pupils.

Bukenya said the campaign on washing hands regularly was crippled by inadequate funds.

“We need at least sh49m in each sub-county to have an impact in the communities on matters of good sanitation,” Bukenya said.

He noted that Masaka district health department had finalised plans for a sanitation-week campaign at landing sites and in small towns.

Bukenya said the landing site residents did not know how to use the newly-introduced eco-sun toilets.

“The eco-sun toilets are supposed to be dry but they are always misused,” he said, adding that some were old and few in congested areas.

He said the Masaka health department would train village health teams in 1,001 villages in 23 sub-counties of the district.

He said the team members will support the communities in counselling and delivering malaria drugs, especially to pregnant women and those suffering from HIV/AIDS.

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