H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni  is calling on all Ugandans to always wash their hands after visiting toilets and before eating to avoid catching diseases which have led to loss of many lives. While delivering the president’s speech at the national hand washing ceremonies yesterday in Luwero district, the vice president of Uganda, Hon. Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi mentioned the president’s concern over the increasing hygiene related diseases which have claimed many lives and has resulted into stagnating the country’s economy. He noted that a sick nation cannot always register faster economic and social growth.

The president added that parents and guardians should always rally series of campaigns geared towards the promotion of hand washing among the young whom he says have little knowledge of the importance of hand washing.

However, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of water and environment who represented the minister, David Obong, revealed worrying statistics of 23%Ugandans who cannot access water, 33.2% who wash their hands after visiting toilets, and 32,000 Ugandan children losing their lives due to hygiene related diseases.

The Uganda National Hand-washing Campaign (NHWC) was initiated in August 2006 by the National Sanitation Working Group (NSWG), and is a government led initiative involving the key stakeholders.