KAMPALA, Uganda — Nakawa Division Mayor Paul Mugabe has stressed the vital role of proper nutrition in disease prevention—commending the Community Integrated Development Initiative (CIDI) for its work in promoting healthy eating habits.
Mugabe’s remarks came during an Advocacy Community Dialogue at the Nakawa Division Headquarters, held as part of Uganda Water Week.
The event, organized by CIDI under the theme “Clean Water, Safe Food, Healthy Lives: Linking WASH and Nutrition for Community Resilience,” convened representatives from the Ministry of Water and Environment, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), the Buganda Kingdom’s Department of Environment, Right2Grow consortium partners, local political leaders, and youth advocacy groups.
“Nutrition is a critical pillar of good health. When individuals are well-fed, they’re better equipped to fight diseases,” Mugabe stated. He encouraged residents to choose affordable, locally-sourced foods, suggesting they are often healthier alternatives to expensive, processed options. “We’ve learned that affordable, locally-sourced food is often the best option, whereas expensive, processed food can be detrimental to our health,” he added.
Mugabe lauded CIDI’s ongoing efforts in Nakawa to improve lives by focusing on nutrition and healthy living— urging his community to continue supporting these initiatives for enhanced health and well-being.
Hellen Kasujja, Deputy Director of CIDI, emphasized the urgent need for coordinated action and greater financial investment in WASH-N sectors. “We are almost moving to alarming states, and we have portions of this country that still have acute food crisis, food insecurity, but also acute malnutrition and stunting for children under five. So our call to action to government is to be able to allocate resources that are meaningful,” she said.
Kasujja presented concerning statistics on sanitation in Uganda, noting that 57.91% of the population lacks access to improved sanitation. She further highlighted that 10% of urban dwellers and 23% of rural populations still practice open defecation due to inadequate facilities. Additionally, she pointed out that 8% of breastfeeding women lack access to handwashing facilities.
She also raised concerns about healthcare facilities, stating that 17% have no access to safe water, 81% have limited sanitation, 10% lack sanitation entirely, and 31% lack environmental cleanliness.
Kasujja also referenced Uganda’s low ranking on the Global Hunger Index, with a score of 27.3 indicating a serious level of food insecurity. “Uganda is a country blessed with good weather and multiple rainy seasons, yet we continue to struggle with hunger and malnutrition. Without proper sanitation and access to clean water, the cycle of disease and poor nutrition worsens, affecting economic productivity,” she commented.
She advocated for the establishment of district-level nutrition coordination committees, particularly in urban areas, and the activation of public health inspections of homes and food vending sites to ensure hygiene, food safety, and the availability of toilets.
Evelyn Zalwango, Project Coordinator for the Right2Grow program under CIDI, underscored the crucial link between water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and nutrition, especially among children. Zalwango cited World Health Organization research indicating that half of the world’s undernutrition cases are linked to poor WASH and related infections.
CIDI’s Right to Grow program aims to raise awareness through sensitization campaigns, radio programs, and community dialogues to equip leaders with the knowledge to implement effective WASH practices. The initiative also empowers youth through training in charcoal briquette making and biogas production, fostering entrepreneurship and job creation. Zalwango reported that the program has already benefited over 250 youth, with plans to reach 500 by the end of the year.
Zalwango stressed the importance of basic hygiene practices, such as handwashing, and encouraged the revival of habits that improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. “At this dialogue, we have been trying to look at the nexus between WASH and nutrition, poor nutrition, or malnutrition is highly linked to poor WASH statuses,” she said.
The dialogue also addressed issues such as solid waste management, access to clean water in health facilities, and the affordability of water services. Participants suggested the implementation of community-led reporting systems to ensure accountability for both citizens and authorities regarding waste disposal and water infrastructure maintenance.
Geoffrey Luyombya, Speaker of the Nakawa Division Urban Council, commended CIDI for empowering local leadership and the community on matters of WASH and nutrition.
“CIDI always organizes quarterly sensitizations to see how best we can address the issues of WASH in our community, if you do not address hygiene in your community, if you do not address the issue of access to clean and safe water, it will always end up into us registering quite a number…” he said, before the provided text ended.
