The Impact of Poor Waste Disposal on the Health of People in Kagadi Sub County. A Case Study of Rugando Village

Abstract

The study (participatory Action Research) aimed at critically assessing the impact of poor waste disposal on the health of people in Rugando Village. The objectives were; to find out the current status of waste management in Rugando village, to identify how best waste management practices promote health in Rugando village, and to identify the strategies that can be adopted to achieve better waste management in Rugando Village.The exploratory research design was employed using quantitative and qualitative research techniques taking Rugando village as a case study. It mainly included the use of questionnaires, interview guide, community dialogue and focus group discussion. The primary population of the study were the women, men, girls and boys under 18years of age, shop and dive bar attendants, sugarcane alcohol brewers, VHTs and Health Assistant Kagadi Sub County with a sample size of 235 respondents obtained from Slovenes’ formula. The study found out that in Rugando village there was open dumping, compost and manure pits, selling waste and the diseases found were; malaria, typhoid, diarrhoea and cholera.it also found out that the waste management practices could promote health through preventing the spread of communicable diseases and reduce conditions for disease vector breeding sites. the strategies that could be adopted to achieve waste management were continuous sensitization, timely monitoring of the activities, follow ups, engagement of different stakeholders, law enforcement to mention but a few. Two sensitization meetings were held, 5 follow ups carried out and five stakeholders were engaged