Life of VHTs in Ajia Sub-county are in Danger as Locals Turn Violent During Operation Against Open Defecation.

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Village Health Teams (VHTs) are fearing for their lives after they were swiftly abandoned by LC1 and LC2 Chairpersons during an operation against open defecation in Ajia Sub-county, Arua District among other numerous challenges they face in their dedicated field of service.

During the sanitation and hygiene awareness meeting, there was some cross-examination by secretary for works and social services Hon Candini Luiji on why they (VHTs) end up grabbing people’s chickens and goats during the operation, Mr Edema a VHT from Ombizoku replied that, those are fines they all agreed upon as Sub-county health teams so that whoever is defiant, they pick a chicken or goat and the owner will bring 10,000 shs or 20,000 shs before they release the animal.

While reading progress of the operation in her village, VHT Mrs Ajio Irene reported a slight improvement on latrine coverage, with 53 households having latrines out of 114 households in Oci village.

Mr Edema Vincent a VHT from Ombizoku village recounted the painful experience they met in Ombamba village after they attempted to grab a chicken as a fine from one of the defiant locals who are resisting to construct latrines.

He appealed to LCs to cooperate by accompanying them during such operations, adding that, if they didn’t phone-call their Parish VHT coordinator to come to their rescue, one of them might have been killed by some of the defiant residents of Ombamba village during that operation.

Ajia sub-county health assistant Mrs Mildred Ayikoru thank Water and Sanitation department of Arua District for orgainsing such initiatives.

Mrs Ayikoru acknowledged issue of picking chickens and goats as fines from defiant locals but defended it that, the matter was brought on the agenda by the community members with whom they held meeting together to identify their problems and possible solutions, of which they (community members) pointed at open defecation and some penalties for those who refuse to construct latrines.

Secretary for works and technical services Hon Candini Luiji thanked residents of Ajia Sub-county for coming up with their own ordinances to penalize people who refuse to construct pit latrines.

He appealed to other three Sub-counties of Arua District (Logiri, Vurra and Arivu) to embrace this campaign against open defecation by constructing pit latrined at every household so that they will benefit from water expansion programs.

The councilor representing people of Ajia Sub-county to the district council Hon Ayikobua Cosmas who doubles as LC V Vice Chairperson and the leader of government business in Arua district used this opportunity to sensitise the VHTs and other sub-county officials to have regularly updated data of people with disabilities so that they can benefit from other government and NGO programs for PWDs.

He urged the locals to embrace education.

Recent statistics show that, Ajia, a sub-county with a population of close to 48,000 people and 12,000 households, only 7000 households have latrines, 5000 households don’t have latrines.

Interms of population, it means that, 16000 people defecate outside and 27000 people defecate in latrine.

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