Abstract:

Introduction: The little of the research is “Assessment of structural fitness, proper utilization and maintenance of sanitary facilities in Serengeti district”. The study was conducted in 3 wards namely Kibanchabancha Kyambahi and Nata, and covers 7 villages. Despite WASH projects done by HESAWA, Grumet fund and AMREF still most of diseases treated in health units are reported to be water, sanitation and hygiene related. The result of this scenario is the increase of communicable diseases in particular among under 5 children and hence affected the quality of life of these children and also increases the children mortality. In addition this problem has results into avertable expenditure to the government for buying more drugs to treat every victim of the disease which would have been prevented by only primary prevention. The objective of this study was therefore to assess structural fitness and hygienic up-keep of sanitary facilities at household level and primary schools.

Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out focusing to assess structural fitness and proper utilization of sanitary system at household level and primary schools. A total of 369 households and 6 primary schools were visited in three wards. The data were collected using questionnaire and personal observation (checklist) and data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Results: The study showed that about 75.6% which is 279 of 369 of the population of Kibanchabancha Kyambahi and Nata households do not have latrines at all that they assist themselves in the nearby bushes. Further the study found out that there is a cultural influence on non-latrine use. All 6 primary schools (Nyansurura, Marasomoche, Matanka, Kewambogo, Nyakitono and Mlimani) that were visited, had toilets that are structural fit, and Matanka, Nyansurura and Mlimani had hand washing facilities but during the time of study they were not functioning. Marasomoche, Kewambogo and Nyakitono had no hand washing facilities. Nyansurura, Matanka and Mlimani primary school had their toilets constructed by AMREF, Kewambogo and Nyakitono primary school had their toilets constructed by village government while Marasomoche primary school by villagers. Though observation Matanka, Marasomoche and Nyansurura primary school had dirty toilets, while rest were clean.

Conclusion: The majority of latrines in the areas were pit latrines and lack structural fitness and most of participants didn’t know the proper maintenance of latrines. All the 6 primary schools that were visited had sanitary facilities that are structurally fit and out of six schools that were visited only 3 had latrines constructed by AMREF. So it’s responsibility of district counsel, wards development committee and NGOs working in these areas to put into consideration the issue of structural fitness and usage of latrine in the study area and make are solved or minimized without delay.

Recommendations: The researcher recommends district counsel, ward development committee and NGOs working in these areas to take into consideration provision of hand washing facilities and their use in schools and emphasize on hand washing after visiting toilets in households. Also community should be educated in importance of good sanitation practice and hygiene, further construction of toilets and hand washing facilities in schools, establishment of by-laws that will ensure clean environment in the community and recruit construction experts who can train the natives to build low cost improved pit latrines. Lastly they need to strongly emphasize and educate the society on the health impact of open defecation and if possible to begin with the young community especially those in school.