Buyende, Uganda: Health managers from Adjumani District have applauded their counterparts in Buyende for effectively integrating Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) principles into public healthcare delivery, especially to serve adolescents and young women under the SHARE project.
Led by Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Mr. Wambi Richard, a 37-member delegation of health facility in-charges and district health officials from Adjumani visited four facilities in Buyende, Buyende Health Centre III, Irundu Health Centre III, Kakooge Health Centre III, and Kidera Health Centre IV, as part of a WASH exchange learning visit facilitated by WaterAid Uganda.
The WASH component is part of the broader Sustainable, Comprehensive, Inclusive and Rights-Based Empowerment (SHARE) project funded through a consortium of WaterAid Uganda, FAWE Uganda, FHI 360, and Right to Play.
Speaking on behalf of the visiting team, Mr. Jamal Ondoga, a senior health manager from Adjumani, praised the significant improvements seen in Buyende’s WASH infrastructure and infection prevention measures.
“As health managers, we came to learn how WASH is being incorporated so we can benchmark, reflect, and improve back home. We’ve seen real progress—from improved water supply systems to incinerators, segregation of medical waste at source, and adoption of cleaning log sheets that are monitored daily,” Ondoga said.
He noted that integrating WASH in health centres greatly reduces healthcare-associated infections and improves the dignity and experience of care, especially for adolescent girls and young mothers.
At Buyende Health Centre III, Mr. Isabirye Moses, the facility in-charge, highlighted key achievements since their training by WaterAid Uganda, including the installation of a modern water system by KOICA, functional IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) committees, use of cleaning logs, and better management of medical waste.
“Thanks to KOICA and WaterAid, we have an incinerator, improved sanitation routines, and waste segregation procedures. This has transformed our ability to serve clients, especially vulnerable groups,” said Isabirye.
However, he was quick to cite existing gaps such as poor infrastructure, limited funding for WASH needs, and inconsistent supply of PPE and medical waste handling materials as major impediments to service delivery.
The exchange visit culminated in a reporting session held at Century Hotel in Kamuli Municipality, where teams from both districts shared experiences, challenges, and best practices.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Wambi urged all facility managers from both districts to turn lessons into actions that would improve healthcare outcomes in their communities.
“You’ve seen what’s working—now go back and implement. Our people deserve safe and dignified care,” Wambi said, before commending WaterAid Uganda and all partners under the SHARE project for their transformative work.
This was the second leg of the exchange program. The first was held in June 2025 in Adjumani, where Buyende health teams visited to benchmark similar WASH integration efforts.
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