Omoro to host Hand Washing Day amidst water shortage
Ronnie Layoo
Omoro has been selected by government to host the global hand washing day on October 16.
Keep Reading
The Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, shall be the chief guest.
Yet as the district prepares to welcome guests from around the world for this important occasion, it suffers from severe shortage of water.
the district LCV chairman, Douglas Peter Okawo, told The Nile Post that Omoro has a problem of access to clean water because out of the 600 bore holes in the district, 235 boreholes do not function.
Okawo dismissed claims by the ministry of Water and Environment that over 68 percent of the population in Omoro has access to clean water .
"The district currently emphasises water harvesting which begun last year with a motorized water source and has gained momentum as institutions with tanks are being urged to collect water for us, Okawo noted.
Robert Ongom, the district health officer said as per July the district latrine coverage in Omoro is at 61% and while only one out of ten people wash their hands after using a latrine.
Ongom also revealed that most of the primary schools in the district don’t have hand washing facilities yet it’s the responsibility of the institutions to teach pupils how to maintain their hygiene and
sanitation.
"The Public health Act is clear about health issues and any time arrests will be enforced for those who don’t want to comply with some regulations like building pit latrines," Ongom said.
