21% of households in Masindi practice open defecation

Masindi: Statistics from the Masindi district health department show that 21% of households in the Masindi district do not have pit latrines.

They either ease themselves in bush or plantations, posing a health risk.

This was revealed by the Masindi district health inspector, Ms. Winfred Namuswe, during the climax of this year’s sanitation week held at Kimanya Primary School in Budongo subcounty, Bujenje county, Masindi district.

Winfred revealed that currently, latrine coverage in Masindi district stands at 79%, hand washing coverage stands at 38.4%, and the ranking of households that drink safe water is at 71%.

Particularly for Budongo subcounty, latrine coverage stands at 68.4%, implying that 32.6% of households lack latrines.

She urged leaders to sensitize residents to construct latrines.

Speaking as the chief guest, Cosmas Byaruhanga, the Masindi district LC5 chairperson, emphasized the need to have a latrine, rubbish pit, and drying rack at each household in order to prevent diseases.

In his message read by Mr. Lambert Weikumon, the Budongo subcounty secretary for education, Julius Kyahurwa, the Budongo subcounty LC3 chairperson, announced a forthcoming operation to arrest all heads of families without latrines in the area.

This year’s sanitation week was organized under the theme “Sanitation and Hygiene for All: A Key to Sustainable Health Living.”.

It is held in the third week of March every year with the aim of uplifting the sanitation of a poorly performing village in a given subcounty that is underserved in terms of sanitation coverage in comparison with the district coverage.

Do you have an advertisement or article you want to publish? Mail us at theugreports@gmail.com or WhatsApp +256757022363.