Sanitation Facilities and Pupils’ Health in Four Selected Primary Schools in Kabarole District.

Abstract

MUGUME PATRICK (2011-MO7I-10006) Sanitation Facilities and Pupils’ Health in Four Selected Primary Schools in Kabarole District. This was a research conducted in Kabarole district primary schools. The topic of the study is, “Sanitation facilities and pupils‟ health in four selected primary schools in Kabarole District.” The objectives of the study were: To find out the common sanitation related diseases in the four selected primary schools in Kabarole district, to examine how the management of the existing sanitation facilities influences pupils‟ health in the four selected primary schools in Kabarole district, to examine the influence of the state of the existing sanitation facilities on pupils‟ health in the four selected primary schools in Kabarole district. The study sample size was 323. Respondents for the study were: head-teachers, teachers, PTA staff, SMC, District Health Officer and pupils. Data collection instruments used include: questionnaire forms, interview guide, observation checklist and focus group discussion guide. According to this study, the main sanitation related diseases common in the selected primary schools in Kabarole district include: malaria, typhoid fever, yellow fever, cholera, trachoma, candida, encephalitis, dengue fever, diarrhoea, filariasis and bilharzia. The study found out that sanitation facilities are poorly managed (waste is disposed of by incineration, dumping in sanitary landfills, draining into pit latrines and nearby water sources). The sanitary landfills, poor waterlogged drainages and uncovered pit latrines become breeding sites for disease-carrying flies, mosquitoes and worms, and when pupils were exposed to such facilities, many suffered from diseases like typhoid fever, diarrhoea, cholera, malaria, bilharzia, filariasis, yellow fever and dengue fever. The study also found out that the state of the existing sanitation facilities in the four selected primary schools is pathetic or horrible (latrines without covers, no washrooms, schools have unclean urinals, contaminated water sources such as wells, dustbins are located close to play grounds, schools have no sanitary pads offered to girl-pupils and schools do not provide gloves to pupils during in-school cleaning activities). Dangerous-disease causing flies, mosquitoes and worms breed in uncovered pit latrines, contaminated urinals, uncovered dustbins and contaminated soils in the immediate school environment. This state of the existing sanitation facilities is associated with a variety of diseases such as typhoid fever, dengue fever, yellow fever, malaria, diarrhoea and cholera while bacteria and virus in contaminated sanitary pads are also associated with candida. Therefore, the four selected primary schools in Kabarole district have poor and inadequate sanitation facilities that are dangerous to pupils‟ health. It is, thus, recommended that Primary Schools in Kabarole district should build adequate and good sanitation facilities to protect pupils‟ health. It is also recommended that Government, community and schools should manage effectively the existing sanitation facilities in Kabarole district. Finally, it is recommended that Government, District Health Officers and schools should identify specific causes of, prevent and cure sanitation related diseases. Key Words: Sanitation Facilities, Pupils, Health, Primary Schools, Kabarole District.