ALURU RESIDENTS DECRY POOR SANITATION

A resident expressing himself during the community dialogue

By Araba Kalsum
Moyo

Residents in Pamoju West village Lea parish Aluru sub-county Moyo district, have decried the poor sanitation in the sub county. This concern was raised during a community dialogue organized by Radio Pacis in the area.

Ajusi Sudi Dominic a community health inspector expressed the challenge of money to set up home health facilities such as latrines.

“there is no money to dig pit latrines even if it comes to good toilets, good water supply and clean home but those who are handling food particularly the women, the personal hygiene is poor, a woman comes from toilet before washing hands she goes to grind simsim, how do you maintain your food, how do you maintain the water clean. Mothers leave it to children, cups which are meant to fetch water are thrown down, feaces are everywhere, and flies are all over then people get sick.

So the best thing is the preventive medicine must go hand in hand with curative so we should concentrate more on prevention which is cheaper and better than cure but we got few health personnel who move in homes to health educate the community, there is a problem with health workers, there is no health visit, poor health education, people need to be educated, so that they know and understand the importance good sanitation,” Ajusi explained.

Similarly Azile Patrick, a health assistant Lama Health III and a community health service Aluru sub-county briefs that it’s a combined effort to educate the community for their wellbeing.

“Typically our community lacks some information so what we do, we come to the community, we sensitize and health educate them for their wellbeing and also for behavior challenge because behavior change is quite aloof.  It cannot be achieved in one or two days’ time but we will work hand in hand with the community VHTs, the sub-county stakeholders and the health Centre in particular,” said Azile.

However Mesiku Vicky Addi the secretary for health Aluru sub-county sounded a warning to the community that whoever does not abide by the law on health shall be penalized.

“In our community if people don’t care about cleanliness they would be penalized because good sanitation is your health. Without health we cannot live well,” Mesiku Emphasized.