By Vicent Emong
KUMI — Residents of Kumi District have been urged to prioritize proper hygiene, sanitation, and environmental conservation as the district joined the rest of Uganda in commemorating Sanitation Week.
The call was made during district sanitation activities led by health officials, development partners, and community members aimed at promoting cleanliness, proper waste management, and environmental protection.
Speaking during the commemoration, the Assistant District Health Officer in charge of Environmental Health, Moses Oonyu, applauded residents and stakeholders for actively participating in the sanitation campaign.
Oonyu explained that districts across the country had been directed to use the week to sensitize communities about sanitation, proper waste disposal, environmental conservation, and tree planting.
“We are encouraging our people to embrace cleanliness, protect the environment, and plant more trees to improve our surroundings and fight environmental degradation,” Oonyu said.
He acknowledged the progress made in infrastructure development within Kumi Municipality, particularly improvements in the road network, but expressed concern over continued littering and poor waste disposal habits among some residents.
“The community is being sensitized not to dump garbage carelessly around town but to make proper use of the litter bins provided with the support of Lions Club,” he explained.
Oonyu also revealed that Africa Water Solutions is partnering with Kumi District to strengthen sanitation and hygiene programs across the municipality.
According to him, sanitation teams had already been deployed to clean the new Kumi market and other public areas where garbage accumulation had become a concern.
“Road gangs and sanitation workers are ensuring proper garbage collection and disposal. The wards at health facilities are now clean and shining because unnecessary waste materials and litter have been removed,” he noted.
He added that the organization’s support during Sanitation Week included cleaning exercises in health facilities, markets, streets, and other public spaces, as well as tree planting and compound maintenance activities.
Oonyu urged residents to make cleanliness a personal responsibility both at home and in public areas, warning that poor sanitation contributes to diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.
“People should wash their hands regularly, use latrines at home and in institutions, and dispose of waste responsibly,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Anyait Catherine Benner, a Programs Field Officer with Africa Water Solutions in Kumi District, said the organization is currently implementing two major initiatives in the district — the WASH Program and the Girl Plus Program.
Benner explained that girls benefiting from the Girl Plus Program participated in the sanitation campaign as part of community service aimed at promoting responsibility and civic engagement.
“We support these girls with school fees, but we also encourage them to give back to their communities through activities such as cleaning public spaces and health facilities,” she said.
According to Benner, the organization currently supports 22 girls in Kumi District, including six pursuing tertiary education and sixteen in secondary school.
She noted that the students participated in cleaning hospital wards, compounds, and streets within Kumi Municipality as part of the sanitation drive.
Africa Water Solutions, she added, considered it important to support the district’s sanitation efforts through active involvement in community cleaning exercises and environmental conservation activities.
Patients and caretakers at the Health Centre IV praised the joint initiative by district authorities and development partners, saying the cleaning activities had greatly improved hygiene standards within the facility and surrounding communities.
Many residents expressed optimism that continued sanitation campaigns would help reduce the spread of sanitation-related diseases and improve public health across Kumi District.
