By Tolit Ivan & Michael Ojok
Local governments in Acholi sub region need to invest more in increasing access to clean and safe water aimed at reducing hospital visits for medical care.
According to a report from the Gulu district water department, 32% of the locals are still relying on unsafe water sources for drinking and other household use.
Agago district has also reported that out of the 1,166 villages in the district, 296 are still relying on unsafe water sources for drinking and other household use.
The unsafe water sources include swamps and rivers, which are often shared with domestic and wild animals that frequently stray into communities.
Recently, health experts in the Acholi sub region attributed the high prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases in the region partly to limited access to clean and safe water.
According to reports presented during the regional health assembly, a total of 55,586 cases of diarrhoea were registered in Acholi over the past year.
Speaking to Mega Fm in an interview, Ballington Olweny, the Secretary Works and Technical Services, said that the district has committed UGX 300 million to rehabilitate and drill at least 30 boreholes during the 2026/27 financial year.
Meanwhile, Wilson Otto, the Agago District LCV Chairperson, said the district has earmarked UGX 453M this financial year to address the problem.