Mayuge gets Shs1.3b water project
Minister Nabbanja (in blue suit) while commissioning water projects in Mayuge district. PHOTO/PHILIP WAFULA
The State Minister for Health in-charge of general duties, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, has commissioned a Shs1.3b piped water project and launched mass drug administration (MDA) against bilharzia and intestinal worms in Mayuge District.
Both projects were set up by World Vision which has since May 2019, partnered with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to implement a $3.8m (Shs14.3b) Mayuge Neglected Tropical Diseases project in the district to eliminate schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and soil transmitted helminths.
This has largely been achieved through Behavioral Change Communication (BCC), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) pro-motion, preventive chemotherapy or MDA and local advocacy.
“Now that we have commissioned this piped water, Bilharzia should be history,” Ms Nabbanja said.
A 150,000-litre water tank was commissioned in Matovu village, Bukabooli Sub-county targeting 10,312 residents, while MDA was launched in Bugoto Village within the same Sub-county.
Annually, MANE project procures medicines and facilitates treatment of masses in Mayuge district against Bilharzia and intestinal worms.
In 2020, MDA was conducted in all 14 Sub-counties of the district with 227,444 people treated with Albendazole against intestinal worms and 239,499 treated with Praziquantel against Bilharzia. MDA covered all 544 villages of Mayuge district.
Mr Edward Khaukha, the World Vision regional programmes manager (Eastern), said the piped water scheme has served at least 12 schools with water stands and ensured connections to individual households.
“Prior to our assessment, safe water coverage stood at 33 per cent which was very low countrywide and caused a lot of disease incidences; however, there has been a reduction in disease incidences by 20 per cent,” Mr Khaukha said.
He, however, noted that at least 612 girls from one Sub-county have been defiled since March last year when schools were closed to combat the spread of Covid-19.
Mr Edward Naguyo, the environmental officer, who doubles as the assistant district health officer (DHO), said because of intervention from World Vision, safe water coverage in the district currently stands at 55 per cent, latrine coverage at 82 per cent and handwashing coverage at 64 per cent.
