Arua hit by water shortage

ARUA
 
Acute water shortage has hit Arua District due to inefficient power supply by West Nile Rural Electrification Company.
This has made it hard for National Water and Sewerage Cooperation to pump water.

As a result, a 20 litre jerrycan now costs Shs200 up from Shs50.  Residents move as far as 5km in search of water. West Nile Rural Electrification Company (Wenreco) has cut power supply to six hours following the Kenya election violence which has made transportation of crude oil difficult.

Residents are now fetching water from unsafe sources leading to fears of a possible breakout of diarrhea and typhoid. "With limited power supply the company can only supply specific parts," NW&SC Engineer Christopher Mwandha said.

The most affected institutions include Arua Regional Referral hospital and schools. Mr Mwandha said the control panel had also broken down, limiting the supply of power to the different pumps.

Meanwhile, the government is to construct a storey medical ward at Arua Referral Hospital. The ward will be constructed where the old medical ward was.

The construction work was abandoned in 2002 when the government approved the funding of a new medical ward. The ward used to accommodate male and female patients.

After construction stalled, female patients were transferred to the pediatric ward, while the men were transferred to the Prevention of Mother to Child Ward.  The wards are now said to be congested.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the commissioner for clinical officers, Dr Jacinto Amandra, said the hospital still needs drugs.