Obangangeo Parish in Acaba Sub-county has the lowest rate of latrine coverage

20 March 2024, 11:23 am

By Chris Woo

This was revealed by Harriet Aber Senior Health Environmental Officer during the launch of Sanitation week held at Oyam town Council yesterday.

According to Aber, in 2023 Omolo parish in Iceme Sub County was the leading parish in Oyam District with the lowest latrine coverage but due to a number of interventions put by District Health Department, locals and political leadership of this District Omolo has greatly improved.

In regard to the lowest latrine coverage in Obangangeo Parish this year Aber pledge commitments to begin home Sanitation Visits, Clean up exercise in Urban Center and improvement of sanitation in public institutions in Obangangeo and Oyam Town Council among other activities adding that they have chosen Obangangeo Parish as a parish where celebration of World Water day will be held because of this data.

She further said as a way of improving sanitation they have set aside monitoring team to ensure Oyam Town Council and Obangangeo Parish is clean. However, she also requested Oyam Town Council Authority to construct drainable latrines as well as managing of stray animals which she said they are destroying people’s property as well as encroaching up to public places.

Stephen Okello Lc3 chairman of Oyam town Council who represented the Lc5 chairperson of Oyam district appreciated the tireless effort being put by VHTs saying as Oyam town council authority last year they bought over 22 dust bins and a tricycle for sanitation management but the dust bins were stolen by the so call Owuwuk however Okello further pledged that his government of Oyam Town Council still has a plan to procure more dust bins in a bid to improve sanitation in this great town.

Conclusively Okello Vowed to begin dismissing some locals in Oyam town Council who are not adhering public health policies by establishing dilapidated grass thatch houses in the central business center Oyam town Council ad well as demolishing their grass t thatch houses.

Sister Sidonia Akello the Assistant DHO in charge of Maternal and Child health Care said there are so many preventable diseases like hepatitis B which can be prevented through using clean water where she said the team of health worker who are conducting a number of activities needs support to fight against the high spread of such diseases.

She further revealed that Latrine coverage is standing at 82.7% in Oyam district however at Oyam Town Council latrine coverage is still standing at 63% only with only 18% of hand washing facilities.

In her conclusion Sister Sidonia said over 80% of diseases that attack us can be prevented through practicing good sanitation but because of our laxiness we can suffer such preventable diseases.

On the other hand Deputy Diso of Oyam district who represented the Resident District Commissioner launched the sanitation successfully and said sanitation is a matter of life and death where people should not take it for granted calling for more community awareness especially in Oyam town Council and in Obangangeo Parish.