According to the Water for Health Organisation (KWAHO), more than 50 per cent of the Tana River County population uses bushes for nature calls due to a lack of latrines.
KWAHO Tana River Coordinator Mr William Mwango said according to a survey conducted by his organisation in the last three years in the Tana River County, the county is losing about Kes257 million per year due to poor sanitation.
Speaking to the press at Hola County Referral Hospital Mwango said his organisation will start building pit latrines in 120 villages in the county in order to improve sanitation to reduce cases of cholera and malaria.
He blamed poor sanitation on the local community’s habits of refusing to use one pit latrine with in-laws saying it is against their customs hence, preferring to go to the bush.
Further, he said KWAHO would spend about Kes13 million from DANIDA and Water Works Trust Fund from 2023 to 2024 to construct the 120 pit latrines and also build shallow wells in the County to improve sanitation in the area.
Mwango appealed to the local residents to disregard some habits and cultural beliefs that contributed to poor sanitation.
