More than 20% of households in Lugari Sub County risk being infected with diarrhoea and related diseases for lack of toilet facilities.
Speaking during a health stakeholders forum held at Homelady guest house in Lumakanda, the Sub County Public Health Officer, Mr. Moses Kipyator Sego said a recently conducted public health survey, indicated that only 79 percent of the households in Lugari Sub County had toilets and pit latrines constructed on their compounds.
“The latrine coverage in Lugari sub county is at 79%, this is a clear indication that over 20% of households do not have latrines, the situation which puts hundreds of area residents at the risk of being infected with diarrohea diseases and especially the dreaded
dysentery,” observed Sego.
Matete area worst hit
He singled out Matete as one of the worst hit areas in the sub county.
According to statics of the survey, residents of 12 villages in Matete relieve themselves on surrounding open fields and bushes.
Sego said the situation had prompted the department through community health workers to embark on an awareness campaign aimed at enlightening the locals on the importance of toilet facilities in boosting sanitation and general health of the area.
“This is where we focus development of low cost technologies that will facilitate the scaling up of latrine coverage leading to the attainment of open defecation free (ODF),he said.
“The campaign’s main objective is to help reduce deaths caused by diarrhoea and related diseases, added Sego who urged the various stakeholders to join the campaign.
“To achieve free defecation we are planning with the aid of stakeholders and partners to monitor diarrhoea disease through Community Health Volunteers, exposing and encouraging community leaders on Community Led Total sanitation (CLTs) activities, involving the local administration for mobilization of resources, added the SCPHO
About 69,000 have so far been de-wormed
Speaking to the media on sidelines of the meeting, the health practitioner disclosed about 69,000 have so far been de-wormed from the ongoing campaign against worms in the sub county.
On his part, the area deputy sub county public health officer Mr. Jotham Akanga expressed his dissatisfaction with constant problems of water shortage within Lumakanda town and its environs and threatened to take legal action against the ministry of water in the area.
The DSCPHO said lack of clean water for human consumption in such a congested town puts life of residents under great danger of suffering from waterborne diseases.
He revealed that his department had issued a closure notice to some hotels and slaughter houses owners.
8 months of no water in Lugari
His sentiments were echoed by area Assistant County Commissioner Ms. Mercy Jepkemboi Timbilil, who represented the Deputy Commissioner, she regretted the situation saying it was illogical that the area had gone for over eight months without water.
The ACC petitioned Kakamega County government to intervene and normalize water supply in Lumakanda noting that the situation was dire.
In a quick rejoinder to stakeholders, Lugari Sub county administrator Mr. Job Wanjala
Luvonga said lack of water in the area was occasioned by the termination of electricity at the site of distribution of water.
“Electricity which helped to pump water was terminated because there was an outstanding arrears amounting to Ksh. 174, 000 so it has been a challenge on our side,” said Luvonga.
He lamented that despite paying the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) in early March, KPLC was yet to re-connect back the power on the grounds that the cash was deposited to a wrong account however it is owned by Kenya Power.
Luvonga pleaded with KPCL to solve the issue and reconnect the power so that normal operations of water supply in the region can resume.
