The Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), has convened the Busoga Region WASH Experts’ Workshop in Jinja.
The meeting aims to facilitate the operation and management (O&M) committee, and conduct post-management training for operators of donated water and sanitation facilities.
The initiative underscores KOFIH’s commitment to advancing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems in Uganda, strengthening local capacity, reducing waterborne diseases, and enhancing the health and dignity of communities in Busoga.
The WASH project follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between KOFIH and OPM in January 2025, prioritizing health system strengthening through safe water and sanitation.
By combining infrastructure investment with community-led O&M systems, the initiative ensures that interventions are inclusive, durable, and community-owned.
Mr. Sang Hoon Jung, Senior Advisor and Health Program Specialist at KOFIH, said the partnership reflects a shared vision to deliver lasting impact.
“This partnership reflects our shared vision to deliver lasting impact. By linking expert dialogue with tangible infrastructure, we are ensuring that the children of Busoga not only gain access to safe facilities today, but that these gains are protected for future generations,” he said.
Ms. Linda Luve, the WASH Focal Person at OPM, emphasized government commitment to sustainable facility management.
“The commissioning of this facility demonstrates government and partners working hand in hand. Sustainable management is key, and we are committed to ensuring these resources are well maintained,” Luve said.
Uganda’s national census shows that while 70% of households live within one kilometer of an improved water source, fewer than half (43.3%) have access to improved sanitation.
Only 24.3% of households have handwashing facilities with soap and water, and 28.3% share toilets.
In Busoga, nearly 5.7% of the population lacks sanitation facilities, and just 56% of domestic water is safely treated, with many systems under strain from pollution, water stress, and weak governance.
These deficiencies contribute to repeated outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and persistent diarrheal diseases, which remain leading causes of morbidity in the region, according to the FY 2024/2025 Annual Health Sector Performance Review.
The burden is particularly high in fishing villages, rural communities, and informal settlements in Jinja City, where open defecation, unsafe water, and poor waste management are widespread.
Experts note that the persistence of WASH-related diseases is not only due to infrastructure gaps but also limited human resource capacity to design, implement, monitor, and sustain effective interventions.
While Uganda has expanded access to water and sanitation, poor operation and maintenance, weak enforcement of WASH policies, and inadequate community engagement often undermine progress.
Mr. Sang Hoon highlighted the importance of capacity building.
“Investing in WASH engineers, health workers, policymakers, and community opinion leaders directly addresses these barriers,” he said.
The workshop provides a platform for stakeholders to strengthen WASH service delivery, ensuring that interventions are sustainable, inclusive, and impactful for the communities of Busoga.