Dr. Kebwe urges local governments to set aside 25% from capitation grant for health preventive measures...!

The head of delegation of the European Union (EU) to Tanzania, Ambassador Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi and Deputy Minister for health and Social Welfare Dr. Stephen Kebwe has jointly launch Iringa Sanitation Project in Iringa region.

The European Union (EU) to Tanzania, Ambassador Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi has encouraged ACRA-CCS, the NGO in charge of the project implementation to work hard in support to Iringa Municipal Council (IMC) and Iringa Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (IRUWASA) in order to achieve the expected results.

He stressed the fact that the community-led approach required the population to have an active role in the project for its future sustainability.

“We do believe that the enhanced ownership and active involvement role of local government authorities and local civil society representatives is paramount for the sustainable use and management of water supply and sanitation infrastructures,” said the EU ambassador to Tanzania.

With funding from EU, ACRA-CCS Foundation, in partnership with IMC, IRUWASA, local (MAMAD, IDYCD) and international organizations (BOKU, Cewas, CeTAamb and CUAMM) implement the project on integrated environmental sanitation concepts for poor, underserved and peri-urban areas of Iringa Municipality.

Through the EU-ACP water facility initiative, the project has received more than 2.2bn/- (Euro 1.1 million) to increase access to sanitation services and safe drinking water by developing innovative, affordable and environmentally sustainable systems.

“Our objective is to help Tanzania achieving the water and sanitation MDG (7) which to halve by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation; this means targeting the most vulnerable and needy people in rural and peri-urban areas, also leading to better health education and socio-economic development,” said the ambassador.

Deputy Minister for Health and Social welfare of the government of Tanzania, Dr. Steven Kebwe has urged local governments to set aside 25% of its budget from capitation grant for health preventives measures such as hand wash sensitization, uses of modern latrines and clean environment. 

He was speaking of Iringa Municipal council residents at Nduli ward during inauguration of Iringa Sanitation project funded by European Union (EU), Dr. Kebwe said European countries and other developed countries have managed to prevent communicable diseases through taking many preventive measures and environmental.

Dr. Kebwe said local government should reduce their expenses on health sector through improving sanitation and clean environment including uses of modern latrines, safe and clean water and hand wash program.

“I have directed Iringa Regional Commissioner (RC) on behalf of other RCs to assure all Muncipal directors and District Executive Officers (DED) in all local councils to set aside 25% budget of its capitation grant for applying preventive procedures against diseases hence prevention is better than cure.”, said the deputy minister..

According to the project manager for Usafi Iringa Project, Jörg Henkel, the project has four result areas, which deal with the identification of sanitation provision systems, the strengthening of the sanitation supply chain, triggering of a behavioral change process in the targeted communities and finally increasing access to sanitation services and drinking water through construction activities, especially in schools and health facilities.

The project is implemented in the four peri-urban wards of Kihesa, Kitwiru, Mtwivila/Mkimbizi and Nduli in iringa municipal.

He said that aim of the project is to improve health and hygiene conditions of poor communities living in the peri-urban areas of Iringa municipality, with great attention to environmental, social and economic sustainability of implemented solutions.

The project ‘integrated environmental sanitation concepts for poor, underserved and peri-urban areas of iringa municipality’. Iringa sanitation project has implemented since March 2014.

The coverage of improved sanitation facilities in densely populated and peri-urban areas of iringa municipal council is still very poor. A recent assessment of the burden of diarrheal diseases in children under five and the coverage of improved sanitation and safe drinking water in the project areas disclosed a prevalence of diarrhea of 15.8 percent of children under 5 in the two weeks.

The project will be implemented in four pilot wards of iringa municipal including Kihesa, Kitwiru, Mtwila and nduli which equivalent to 62.3% about 206.52 square kilometers with the total number of 57,300.

It was also intended to reach 48 primary schools and 26 secondary schools and 25 health and sanitation facilities.