THE project officer in charge of sanitation and hygiene of the World Vision Ms. Catherine Mwangi has urged Western Kenya communities to embrace environmental sanitation to ensure improved health in the region as well as promoting good hygiene for the people.

Speaking at the launch of the total Sanitation (CLTS) initiative in Matete district as a way of ensure all residential homes set up toilets and pit latrines at Webuye, Mwangi called upon the stakeholders in the  district to enlighten the residents to embrace proper sanitation.

“It’s for the community to strive and ensure sanitation in their area and to put up pit latrines in every home and ensure they wash their hands every time they visit the latrines to maintain good hygiene,” said Ms.Mwangi.

She cited that a medical research carried out in the region showed a rise in waterborne disease infection and hence emphasized the need to carry out community survey on access and use of pit latrines.

Ms.Mwangi dismissed the excuses made by some communities over poverty contributing to their lack of latrines and called upon them to concentrate on their hygiene and consider putting up any private structure in form of a toilet as long as it provides room for them to help themselves and has a deep hole to ensure proper sanitation.

“Water borne diseases are on the rise in Matete district because of lack of sufficient latrines and toilets in the region hence leading to a high spread of such disorders,” said Ms.Mwangi.

Amid promoting proper sanitation and healthy living in the community, all the 40 primary schools in the region have been provided with hand washing stations that are situated next to the toilets to promote handwashing among the children.

“We thought it wise to also spread the idea down to the villages, by putting up hand washing stations near public toilets and also encouraging the community to utilize readily available resources to put up such structures in their homes,” said Ms.Mwangi.