Uganda: Most Ugandan Homes Lack Water and Toilets
[Afrobarometer] Half of citizens report going without enough clean water during the previous year.
The 2024 Afrobarometer survey conducted in Uganda reveals that half of the country's citizens experienced insufficient clean water during the previous year. Adequate access to water and sanitation is a fundamental human need for health and dignity, as emphasized by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6. Despite the Ugandan government's priority on this issue, challenges persist, particularly in rural areas.
Diarrhoea, often caused by poor sanitation and hygiene, claims the lives of 33 Ugandan children daily, according to UNICEF's 2022 report. The country loses 2.9% of its annual gross domestic product due to inadequate water and sanitation, as highlighted by the Economic Policy Research Centre in 2024. Rapid population growth, urbanisation, and increased consumption in agriculture and industry have driven up water demand.
International partners have supported the Ministry of Water and Environment in expanding piped-water systems and infrastructure in rural areas. The Afrobarometer survey found that while over half of respondents access water and toilets or latrines outside their homes, water supply remains a pressing national concern requiring government action.
However, more than half of those surveyed still approve of the government's management of water and sanitation services.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
