Kabale RDC warns to arrest heads of families without latrines, as hand washing coverage stands at 26%

By Alex Byakatonda

Communications officer-Kabale

The Kabale Resident District commissioner, Godfrey Nyakahuma, has warned to use the Public health Act, to arrest and Charge heads of families without latrines, as a way of increasing latrine coverage in the district.

Nyakahuma was speaking today at Bugarama Primary School in Buhara Sub County, during the district commemoration of belated World Water Day. World Water is always commemorated on 22^nd March annually.

Nyakahuma noted that he will empower and engage all the parish chiefs in the district to carry out an operation, so that all heads of families, who will be found without latrines, are apprehended and charged in accordance with the Public Health Act.

Nyakahuma, also commended the NRM government for improving on access to safe and clean water in the country, saying that by the time when the NRM came into power, in 1986 access to clean water stood at 30percent. He noted that government has intensified efforts to fight against preventable diseases, like dysentery.

According to the District Water Officer, Patience Aharinta, access to safe water in Kabale District Stands at 90%, while water functionality stands at 86%, which is above the national percentage, of 65% and 67% respectively.

She added that in a bit to improve on accessibility to safe water, the district has prioritized construction of water harvesting tanks to serve the population living in hilly areas and also to rehabilitate the non-functional water sources to improve on functionality.

Aharinta also said that although latrine coverage in the district stands at 86, hand washing stands at only 26%. Kabale has 1968 domestic water points which serve a total of 223,150 people of which 172,084 are in rural areas.

Aharinta adds that as a way of improving sanitation and hygiene, a competition was initiated between three selected villages of Nyakabungo, Hamubuga and Kashieja in Buhara Sub county and Mukashenyi-A, Nyinabireere and Kagogo and the villages in Buhara sub county emerged winners in ensuring Open Defecation Free(ODF)

The Kabale District Vice Chairperson, Miria Akankwasa Tugume, who represented the District Chairperson, Nelson Nshangangabasheija, commended the water department for initiating the competition, which helps to trigger villages to improve on Sanitation and hygiene, and hence ensuring the fight against diseases. She emphasized a need for behavioral change, if the disease is to realize an open defecation free environment.

The Acting Kabale District Deputy Chief Administrative officer, Gordon Manzi, noted that sanitation and hygiene begins at the household level, noting that safe water practices, are paramount in fighting against Preventable Diseases like diarrheal diseases.

END