The Ruiru Sub-County Public Health Department has embarked on a campaign to sensitise the local community on the importance of having latrines in their homesteads.
Speaking on Wednesday in Githurai, the sub-county public health officer, John Mungai, pointed out that the department was in the process of implementing community total sanitation whereby people would take a leading role in the construction and use of latrines.
Mungai said this was aimed at making the local community appreciate the government effort of attaining an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by the year 2018.
Mungai noted that through the initiative, the community will not be relieving themselves in the bushes or open environment, but will instead be using the latrines they constructed themselves.
This comes in the wake of a workshop on sustainable sanitation and hygiene held recently at a Ruiru hotel where it was revealed that 46% of Ruiru Sub-County residents do not have proper latrines.
The health officer particularly singled out the areas which had an acute shortage of latrines which include Githurai 45 and wakairu. He said the areas mentioned shall be put under the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
Mungai said through this initiative, the residents will be sensitised on the importance of putting up latrines in every homestead and the dangers associated with water borne diseases like diarrhoea and typhoid.