Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Challenges in Informal Settlements in Kampala, Uganda

A Qualitative Study

Bibliographic Data

ID15512014
AuthorsJulia Dickson‐gómez (0000-0002-9388-847X, Medical College of Wisconsin, corresponding author), Julia Dickson-Gómez (Medical College of Wisconsin), Agnes Nyabigambo (0000-0003-3359-0601, ResilientAfrica Network, Kampala P.O. Box 7072, Uganda), Abigail Rudd (Medical College of Wisconsin), Julius Ssentongo (ResilientAfrica Network, Kampala P.O. Box 7072, Uganda), Arthur Kiconco (0000-0001-5788-2751, Medical College of Wisconsin), Roy William Mayega (0000-0001-6898-4972, ResilientAfrica Network, Kampala P.O. Box 7072, Uganda)
Year2023
Volume20
Issue12
Pages6181-6181
Publication date2023-06-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph20126181
PMID37372767
OpenAlexW4381336663
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited36

Diarrhea causes 1.6 million deaths annually, including 525,000 children. Further, chronic diarrhea puts children at risk for mineral deficiencies, malnutrition, and stunting which, in turn, can result in cognitive deficits, poor performance in school, and decreased disease immunity in adulthood. Most diarrhea is caused by water contaminated by fecal matter. Interventions to improve clean water and sanitation can save lives; however, challenges persist in informal settlements. In this study, we explored the views of residents of informal settlements regarding water and sanitation in their communities. Focus group interviews were conducted with residents of 6 informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda ( n = 165 people), and 6 key informant interviews were conducted with governmental and nongovernmental organizations that work to improve informal settlements or provide services to them. The results from this study demonstrate that, although these informal settlements had many infrastructure "upgrades" such as latrines and toilets, water taps, wells, and garbage collection and drainage systems, the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) system and its components largely failed due to point-of-use charges of water taps and toilets and the difficulty of emptying cesspits. Our results suggest that WASH must be considered a system and that multiple upgrading efforts are needed for WASH systems to work, including road construction and better oversight of fecal sludge disposal

Business · Diarrhea · Economic growth · Environmental health · Environmental protection · Focus group · Geography · Human settlement · Hygiene · Informal settlements · Latrine · Open defecation · Pit latrine · Psychological intervention · Sanitation · Work (physics · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Engineering · Medicine · Nursing · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Urban and Rural Development Challenges

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