88% households have no pit latrine in Amudat district

Amudat.
A bout 98,000(88.2 percent) of the total population of 111,000 in Amudat district in Karamoja sub region in the north eastern Uganda don’t have pit latrines at their residential homes.
This was revealed by the district health inspector of Amudat Mr. Simon Elimu during the declaration of two villages as open defecation free areas in the district.
Mr. Elimu said the latrine coverage in the district is still very low with many families running to answer nature’s call in open areas.

He noted that it’s so far two villages in Karita sub county in the whole district that have accepted to dig latrines through the sensitization program supported by USAID under Resilience through wealth, agriculture and nutrition (RUWANU) project.
“It’s still a big challenge but through the support of development partners we shall achieve but so far we are better than Moroto district,” he said.
He blamed loose soil in the district as the major course making many families fear to dig pit-latrines in their homes.
“We have experienced a situation where by a man was digging a pit-latrine at his home but the soil fell and nearly buried him alive and this created fear to many families in the district, “he said.

The district LCV chairperson of Amudat Mr. Francis Kiyonga Adamson said low latrines coverage in the district was a big challenge. He promised to use forceful measure to ensure that every household will dig a pit-latrine.
He said in his five years he wants to create a change that Amudat district has been yearning for all along.
“Am going to use council to pass bylaws that will stop people from open defecation and also they must send children to School,” he said.