Tuesday 7 September 2010

UNSANITARY CONDITIONS OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN KAZUNGULA WORRIES AUTHORITIES


Kazungula
THE Ministry of health in Kazungula district has expressed concern that some public institutions such as schools and churches are being constructed without due consideration for sanitation facilities.
And the ministry has said the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) being spearheaded in Kazungula district by UNICEF has had a positive impact in reducing incidences of diarrhea diseases in the district.
District medical officer, Dr Francis Hadunka, says the ministry is worried that some schools are being built without any toilets thereby posing a sanitation challenge.
He said new infrastructure such as 1 by 3 classroom block and teachers’ houses have been built in some rural communities while neglecting to build toilets for pupils.
Dr Hadunka wondered how pupils would answer the call of nature at learning institutions where no toilets exist.
He was speaking in Livingstone today at a CLTS workshop for Kazungula district organized and sponsored by the UN Children’s organization, UNICEF.
He said the district has managed to reduce diarrhea cases in the district, attributing the situation to the construction of latrines in rural communities under the CLTS programme.
He said while success has been recorded in reducing the diarrhea disease burden, the state of sanitation at Kazungula market was worrisome.
Dr Hadunka said the ministry is considering prosecuting the culprits because all efforts to persuade the proprietors of the trading premises to improve their facilities have yielded no positive response.
Dr Hadunka however said the ministry is facing the challenge of inadequate staffing levels involving Environment health technicians who are crucial in the implementation of the CLTS programme in rural areas.

Earlier, UNICEF specialist Dr Giveson Zulu said UNICEF is committed to providing water points to communities that attain open defecation free status.
ZANIS

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