Kochia ward in Rangwe constituency, Homa Bay County has been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) Zone after attaining 100 per cent of the total population that has pit latrines in their homes.
County Department of health revealed that the residents of Kochia ward had desisted from defecating in the open fields and bushes in the region.
County Executive Committee Member (CEC) in charge of health Prof. Richard Muga said they were using the ward as an example to enable other region in the county to follow suit.
Muga said his department wants to ensure that the county residents have clean pit latrines in their homes as a way of eradicating diarrheal related diseases in the county.
Speaking at Odienya Chief’s camp in West Kochia location, Muga revealed that Homa Bay County had attained 74 per cent of the total population that has pit latrines in their homes.
Muga said that 26 per cent of the county residents were still defecating in the open fields and bushes and they are working with other health partners to ensure that the entire county is declared ODF zone in 2019.
Muga called upon the county residents to ensure that they have pit latrines in their homes, saying they will use the Community Health Volunteers (CHV) who will support them in attaining the percent.
Samson Wachara the advisor at an NGO known as SNV said they had been working with the health department to identify areas with lose soils that make it difficult to put up latrine to assist the residents in building a stable latrine which cannot sink during the rainy season.
By Davis Langat
