Busoga Communities Trained to Sustain Water and Sanitation Facilities

Efforts are underway in Uganda’s Busoga Region to ensure that newly installed water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities remain operational and beneficial for the long term. The Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) Uganda Office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Office of the Prime Minister, facilitated a crucial Management Committee meeting and practical operations and maintenance training.

The initiative, supported by the Community Chest of Korea under the KOFIH/OPM Busoga WASH Project, aims to reduce waterborne diseases by improving access to safe drinking water and handwashing services in schools, health facilities, and surrounding communities.

The training focused on empowering local stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective governance, supervision, accountability, and routine maintenance of WASH infrastructure. Participants reviewed their roles and responsibilities, covering aspects like facility management, reporting, fee collection, and repair procedures.

Lee Eunhyeok, KOFIH Uganda Program Manager, emphasized that sustainable public health outcomes hinge on equipping communities and institutions to manage infrastructure responsibly. “Safe water infrastructure delivers the greatest value when local systems are ready to manage and maintain it,” Lee stated, highlighting KOFIH’s commitment to protecting investments and sustaining public health benefits.

Hands-on training provided caretakers and operators with practical skills in daily system management, including startup and shutdown procedures, inspections, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, record-keeping, and basic water quality monitoring. This training followed a recent monitoring visit to various facilities in Iganga District and Jinja City.

Local officials, such as Silver Onyait Ochan, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Iganga District, reported improved coordination and a strengthened understanding of managing WASH infrastructure collaboratively. Headteachers also noted enhanced confidence in safely operating and maintaining facilities for the benefit of students and the wider community.

Key outcomes include oriented management committees, trained caretakers and operators, distributed maintenance manuals, developed action plans, and introduced reporting templates, fostering better coordination among all involved parties to promote access to safe water and reduce waterborne diseases across the Busoga Region.

Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/351396/kofih-health-ministry-train-busoga-communities-to-sustain-water-and-sanitation-facilities