By Brian Atuhura
Residents of Ambaka village in Rwempisi Parish, Nyantonzi Sub-County Masindi district,have been urged to construct latrines and improvise hand washing facilities to avoid contracting diseases caused by poor hygiene and sanitation.
The appeal was made by the Secretary for Social Services, Sylvia Karungi who officiated at the crowning of the sanitation week that was held today at Rwempisi primary school under the theme,"Sanitation for Dignity and Inclusiveness".
While presenting the district sanitation status report, Patrick Baguma the Assistant District Health Officer(ADHO-Environmental Health), revealed that the district latrine and hand washing coverage is at 77.3% and 22.8% respectively while the safe water coverage is at 70% overall as 94% is in rural areas while 20% is in urban areas.
The report further disclosed that, Nyantonzi Sub-County has latrine coverage of 68.3% while hand washing is at 28.4% which is below the district coverage.
On her part,the Assistant Resident District Commissioner (ARDC), Hellen Tugume encouraged the locals to desist from practicing open defication as the act causes spread of cholera and other related ailments all attributed to poor hygiene in homesteads.