Mityana District Sanitation Week.

Mityana District Sanitation Week.

28/03/2024

Mityana District joined the rest of the world to commemorate the World Sanitation and Hygiene week from 15th to 22nd with its climax commemorated on 28thMarch 2024 at Bongole Primary School in Malangala Sub county under the theme: “Sanitation and Hygiene for all, a key to sustainable Healthy Living”.This is an annual event aimed at increasing community awareness and participation in realizing the importance of improved sanitation and hygiene in disease prevention. The event was district wide and the activities were; Community mobilization and sensitization, Household sanitation follow ups, food Hygiene promotion, Commercial Premises inspection, School Health promotion, community work/general cleaning.

 

An estimated 9800 people was reached with sanitation and hygiene massages in schools and communities through mass media, interpersonal communication, and community based Radios/ Megaphones and edutainment. Major activities were carried out in Mityana Municipality, Busunju, Zigoti, Sekanyonyi and Bbanda Town Councils; Kiwawu, Bongole, Kakindu, Namungo, Kalangaalo, Buwalula and Maanyi Trading centers where communities actively participated in community work throughout the week.

 Mityana district senior Health Eduvcator Denis Mono said that the main objectives of this years sanitation is;

·       To increase community awareness on the importance sanitation and hygiene practices in disease prevention.

·       To promote community participation and involvement in improving sanitation and hygiene for sustainable healthy living.

·       To demonstrate local technologies that promotes good sanitation and hygiene practices.

 

Key Activities Carried out

·       Micro planning meetings with key stakeholders and sub county leadership in Malangala.

·       Partner mapping and mobilization.

·       Resources mobilization.

·       Community mobilization and sensitization though;

Ø  Radio talk shows and DJ mentions.

Ø  Community Megaphones.

Ø  Interpersonal by the VHTs, LC1s, and the Councilor.

Ø  Dissemination of letters to Schools and all lower local Governments.

·       Household sanitation and hygiene inspections

·       School sanitation and hygiene inspections

 ·       General cleaning/ community work in Mityana Municipal council, Mityana Municipality, Busunju, Zigoti, Sekanyonyi and Bbanda Town Councils; Kiwawu, Bongole, Kakindu, Namungo, Kalangaalo, Buwalula and Maanyi Trading centres; Lusaalira and Nkonya landing sites.

Activities on the climax day

·       Exhibition of local technologies for hygiene promotion;

Ø  Exhibition of Hand Washing facilities by Whave solution

Ø  Demonstration of Tip tap construction and use by the pupils

Ø  Exhibition of disposable Sanitary pads by A4HUganda

Ø   Demonstration on how to wash Hands with soap after latrine

·       Drama plays to promote sanitation and hygiene

·       Questions and answers on sanitation and hygiene for both community members and pupils

·       Sanitation and hygiene education

·       Education on gender based Violence by the District probation officer

·       Rewarding of participants in the question and answer session

·       Presentation of District sanitation and hygiene status report

·       Speeches from; LC1, Head Teacher Bongole P/S, Senior Assistant Secretary, LC3 Chairperson, District Water Officer, District Health Officer, representative of the Implementing partner, District secretary for Health and finally the District Vice Chairperson.

·       Medical Examination of food handles and promotion of Food hygiene

·       Supervision of solid waste collection and disposal

 

Key emerging issues that arose during the function

·       Low coverage and poor quality of sanitary facilities was noted

·       Many households still lack basic sanitation in the sub county

·       Law awareness about sanitation and hygiene in the sub county

·       Parents do not contribute food for their children in school

·       Domestic Violence cases on the rise in the area

·       Bongole P/S has dilapidated buildings that needs repair

·       The school has over 350 pupils with in sufficient latrine facilities

·       The area lacks sufficient safe drinking water

·       Lack of community ownership on the existing water sources

·       Some Rural growth centers lack solid waste disposal grounds

 

Key resolutions agreed upon by the community

·       The local Authority to start arresting all latrine defaulters with immediate effect.

·       Community to participate in latrine pit digging for Bongole P/S and the sub county to construct the under and superstructure immediately.

 

 

·       Local leaders to participate in mobilization of the community to contribute food for the pupils lunch in schools

·       The LC1 court to be functionalized and all latrine defaulters are first prosecuted at the community level.

·       Water officer to consider planning for safe water source allocation to the area where possible

·       Community to develop and O&M plan for the water sources within the legal framework.

 

Lessons learnt

·       Engaging VHTs is effective in community mobilization

·       Early planning and engagement of stake holders including implementing partners promotes full participation

·       Empowering Local leaders (LC1s) promotes active participation of every body for better outcomes

·       Engaging School pupils and Natural leaders increases awareness and active participation during the week

·       Social mobilization though School pupils is an effective means of reaching out to the community.

 

Achievements

·       An estimated 8,800 people were reached with sanitation promotion massages using different approaches throughout the week.

·       About 300 to 350 person turned up on the climax day and reached with basic sanitation information

·       10 community members and 72 school pupils received prizes upon giving correct answers during Question and answer session on sanitation and hygiene.

·       Exhibition of various technologies was done; (Hand washing Facilities, Construction of Tip taps, Disposable Sanitary pads).

·       Active participation of schools in hygiene promotion activities including Demonstration of  hand washing with soap

·       There was active participation of the community in cleaning their environment

·       There was active participation and involvement of implementing partners

Challenges

·       Inadequate funds to support the sanitation and hygiene week activities

·       Lower local Governments do not take sanitation week as a priority during their planning and budgeting process.

·       Lack of disposal grounds for solid waste in the rural Growth centers and  Town Councils

Recommendations

·       District to increase the funding for sanitation week commemoration

·       All lower local Governments to plan and budget for sanitation week activities.

·       Local Governments and to plan effectively to acquire disposal grounds for solid waste in the rural Growth centers and  Town Councils

·       Sensitization of the community on the Public health Act provisions.

The Mityana District Vice Chairperson Anniemariam Nassali who presided over the as the guest cautioned resident who dont have latrines and she said that they are causing alot of problems in the community.

She advised the locals to build latrines and keep good hygine so that they can prevent diseases.