Wednesday 29 October 2014

HEALTH CENTERS IN KASESE DISTRICT GET WASH KITS


Promoting sanitation and hygiene in the 89 health facilities of Kasese district:
Published by; Geoffrey B. WASH Program officer KALI. 
 KALI in partnership with Kasese district local government with funding from CDC Atlanta through UVRI has been implementing a two month project on promoting Sanitation and hygiene at health facilities in Kasese district. This involved supporting the health facilities by installing hand washing and drinking water stations, training health workers in general sanitation and hygiene, and motivating health workers to use the water stations as platforms to teach their patients about the importance of water treatment, hygiene, and sanitation. These interventions also included; engaging with Health Unit Management Committees to assure a self-sustaining program.
The health facilities have acted as demonstration for good San&Hygiene to the community members who come for treatment. It is believed that after practicing hand washing and taking clean water at the health facility, community members will continue practicing the same in their homes.
The project aimed at creating demand for water treatment and hygiene and increasing access to hand washing and drinking water facilities as well as engagement with the Health Unit Management Committee (HUMC), sub county and district leadership
Hospitals, HC IV, HC.III and HC II in Kasese well given due attention during this project.

Activities Conducted:
1.      Conducted meetings with health workers at health unit level
2.      Conducted meetings with sub county leaders on their roles and purpose of the project
3.      Conducted meeting with District leaders on the distribution plan,

 Notes/Findings:
        I.            It was found out that most health units do not have access to water and those which had lacked constant supply at their facilities and this was affecting sanitation and hygiene at large.
      II.            It was found out that out of the 32 units visited; only Kasanga PHC had functional hand washing facility near latrine with soap fully an utilized.
    III.            Most of the units Visited had hand washing facilities only in the medical rooms but not near latrine.
    IV.            Some of the health units Visited had latrines not meeting sanitation conditions. Some of them had open defecation on and around their latrines.
      V.           
    VI.            It was also found out that water treatment was also not given attention at health unit level. Workers agreed that they thought tap water is always treated at the source, therefore safe.
  VII.            All sub county leaders appreciated the project innovation of improving sanitation at health unit level. Sub county chiefs and LC.iii C/persons pledged for total support at the time of implementation.
1.      Conducted leaders meeting with LC III C/persons of Bukonzo west constituency,DHO’s team, LC.V District CDO, Medical officers from; Hospitals of; Kilembe, Bwera,Kagando including Kasanga HSD,Rwensande HSD,Hima Cement H/C IV.
This meeting was on request of the minister to help mobilize the district stakeholders on sanitation and hygiene promotion as well as come up with action issues especially for those sub counties/households without latrines. The meeting was build on the background ensuring health centers work as centers of excellence in sanitation and hygiene which would roll down to communities through of eradicating cholera and typhoid.
           

 Result on training/meeting:
The sub county leaders who attended the meeting have affirmatively started monitoring Sanitation in their sub counties and arresting those without. New latrines have been built in Bwera and Nyakiyumbu Sub counties.
  
2.      Project launch with the MP Bukonzo West and Minister of defence Dr.C.Kiyonga with the entire public at Mpondwe Primary school. This launch aimed at mobilizing the entire Bukonzo west and the entire district of Kasese. It was attended by district leaders, Bukonzo west constituency leaders, VHTs and the community of Mpondwe Lhubiriha T/C.
3.      Distribution of the hand washing, Drinking containers and aqua safe.

4.      Training of Health workers on Hand washing, water treatment and the approaches to CLTS. This was facilitated by the District Health Inspector and Health Educator Kasese.
The training of Health workers:
1.        
 
Training health workers on water treatment.

Opening Remarks with a pre-test managed by Facilitators
2.       Presentation from DHI on the different types of water treatment, safe water chain and the effects of Cholera and typhoid to the communities.
3.       Presentation on Sanitation related disease & how they can be prevented with emphasis on hand washing at critical times
4.       Practical Illustration of water purification using Pure.
5.       Closure remarks by District Health Inspector-Kasese
The meeting started with introductions and participants expectation of the meeting as well as pre-test which was a good start. Participants were the district health officials including, health workers from Health Centers II, III, IV and Hospitals from Bukonzo East, Busongora North and South then Kasese Municipality.  Results obtained were as follows;
S/no
Range
No. of participants
1
100
2
2
90-99
04
3
80-90
24
4
70-80
27
5
60-70
10
6
50-60
4
The table above shows that none of the 71 participants was below 50%.


 The above results shows a picture of an average understanding of sanitation and hygiene issues by majority of the health workers, “ safe water chain and hand washing practices
However, the results indicated that there was still more needed to learn on water treatment methodologies and public sanitation & Hygiene facility management.
ATTENDANCE;

Practical Illustration on water treatment.
 
He talked about community led total sanitation, CLTS which involves all stakeholders to be conscious and take action on WASH.
An experiment of water purification was done which triggered their minds and emphasis on promoting WASH at their health centers which was evidenced by their confessions


ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE TRAINING
·         The health workers were able to understand much more the concept of WASH and use of Hand washing and safe drinking water chain
·         The training triggered participants on taking immediate action, sensitisation on treating drinking water to make it safe and adoption of hand washing as evidenced in their expressions and confessions during the water purification illustrations.
·         Willingness of Health workers to go sensitize and adapt to the best practice of hand washing and drinking water treatment at their health Facilities.
·         The participants promised to share the information received, conduct sensitization sessions at their health units as well as passing the information to the VHTs for more health talks to the patients.
·         All participants agreed to be champions of water treatment at their health facilities.

The distributions Made
 
S/n
Name of Health Unit served
Sub county
Grade
1
Kasanga PHC
MLTC
IV
2
Kamasasa
Karambi
II
3
Karambi H/C
Karambi
III
4
Kisolholho
Karambi
II
5
Bikunya
Karambi
II
6
Mushenene
Nyakiyumbu
III
7
Ihandiro
Ihandiro
III
8
Bubotyo
Ihandiro
II
9
Kikyo
Ihandiro
II
10
Buhunga Muyagha
Ihandiro
II
11
Kitholhu
Kitholhu
III
12
Kanyatsi
Kitholhu
II
13
Kiraro
Kitholhu
II
14
Kyampara
Isango
II
15
Kamukumbi
Isango
II
16
Katholhu
Nyakiyumbu
II
17
Kayanzi
Nyakiyumbu
II
18
Kinyamaseke
Munkunyu
III
19
Buhaghura
Rukoki
II
20
Kiburara
Kisinga
II
21
Nyabirongo
Kisinga
III
22
Kabirizi Upper
Kyarumba
II
23
Kyarumba
Kyarumba
III
24
Kyarumba PHC
Kyarumbu
III
25
Kabirizi Lower
L.Katwe
II
26
Kahokya
L.Katwe
II
27
Kitabu ST. Francis Martinet
Kyarumbu
III
28
Hamukunku
L.Katwe
II
29
Katwe
Katwe Kabatooro T/C
III
30
Mweya
L.Katwe
II
31
Katunguru
L.Katwe
II
32
Kasenyi
L.Katwe
II
33
Kasese Municipal
Nyamwamba Div.
III
34
Rukoki
Nyamwamba Div.
III
35
Bughalitsa
Rukoki
II
36
Kilembe Mines Hospital
Bulembya Div.
Hosp.
37
Kilembe H/C
Bulembya Div.
II
38
Kirembe
Central Div.
II
39
Nyakabingo
Rukoki
II
40
Mubuki Irrigation
Rukoki
II
41
Katooke
Bughoye
II
42
Nyangorongo
Bughoye
II
43
Bughoye
Bughoye
II
44
Maghoma
Bughoye
II
45
Maliba H/C
Maliba
III
46
Isule H/C
Maliba
III
47
Mukathi
Maliba
III
48
Muhokya
Muhokya
III
49
Kahendero H/C
Muhokya
II
50
Kasese Police station
Central Div
II
51
Katadoba UMSC  H/C
Central Div
III
52
Railway H/C
Central Div.
II
53
Bishop Masereka H/C
Central
III
54
St.Paul
Central
IV
55
Saruti H/C
Nyamwamba Div.
II
56
Kisamba H/C
Bughoye
II
57
RMS H/C
Bughoye
III
58
Ibanda H/C
Bughoye
II
59
Bikone
Maliba
II
60
Kyanya SDA
Maliba
III
61
Mubuku Prison
Maliba
II
62
Muhindi H/C
Nyakiyumbu
II
63
Nyabugando H/C
Mpondwe L T/C
III
64
Kihyo H/C
Maliba
II
65
Mubuku Kisojo
Maliba
II
66
Ibuga Prison
Kitswamba
II
67
Buhuhira
Kyabarungira
II
68
Bwesumbu
Kyabarungira
II
69
Kasangali
Kyabarungira
II
70
Nkoko
Kitswamba
II
71
Ibuga Refugees
Kitswamba
II
72
Kabiri
Muhokya
II
73
Butale
Mahango
II
74
Mbunga
Kilembe
II
75
Kyondo
Kyondo
III
76
Hima dispensary
Kitswamba T/C
III
77
Kavera army barracks
Hima T/C
III
78
Kabatunda
Kyabarungira
III
79
Kitswamba
Kitswamba
III
80
Nyamirami
Muhokya
III
81
Kalibo
Kilembe
III
82
Karusandara
Karusandara
III
83
Mahango
Mahango
III
84
Kanamba
Karusandara
III
85
Kinyabwamba
Kitswamba
III
86
Rwesande
Kyabarungira
IV
87
Kilembe Mines Hospital
Bulembya Div.
Hospital
88
Kagando
Kisinga
Hospital
89
Bwera Hospital
Mpondwe L T/C
Hospital
OTHER HEALTH UNITS GIVEN
90
Railway
Kasese Municipality
II
91
Kahendero
Muhokya
II
92
Kasungu
Bwera
II
93
Nyakimasa
Bwera
II
94
Bukangara H/C
Nyakiyumbu
II
95
Bwito
Kyondo
II
96
Nyakatonzi
Nyakatonzi
II





































KEY PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS.
·         This project has increased joint efforts in fighting sanitation and Hygiene diseases in the district. This was through engaging district leader both political and technical including Sub County and all HUMC in Kasese.
·         Patients, care takers and health workers from 96 health units are accessing hand washing facilities aqua safe water treatment tablets in Kasese district.
·          Patients, care takers and health workers accessing safe and clean water for drinking in the 96 health units of Kasese district.
·         Health workers of 96 health Centers wash their hands and instruments before and after patient contact
·         Health workers and VHTS from 96 health units report that they teach hand washing and water treatment to their patients before daily business at health centers.
·          At least a number  of patients and care takers practice hand washing with soap at critical times and observe safe water chain in their homes.