Situation analySiS

Situation analySiS of Children in uganda 2015for advice or treatment at a health facility and slightly more than half (55%) of childrenwere given either oral rehydration treatment (oRT) or increased fluids (UBoS and ICFInternational, 2012). Additionally, Pereznieto et al. (2014) found in their qualitative workthat many mothers in their study had limited knowledge about water-borne diseases andtreatment of water, which resulted in children falling ill with easily preventable infections.HYGIENEOnly four in every 50 households have a handwashing facility with soap and water (UNICEFcalculation based on UBOS and ICF International, 2012). Handwashing with water and soapis practised most in households in the Kampala, Central 1, and Western regions and least inKaramoja and West Nile regions. overall, 8% of mothers of under-five children had soap andwater readily available for handwashing, far beneath the MWE 2015 target of 50%. Accessto handwashing in rural areas is estimated at 29% (MWE, 2013), meeting the national MWEaction plan target for financial year 2012/13.Management of minor repair and maintenance of water facilities is the responsibility ofWater and Sanitation Committees (WSCs), who contribute cash, and operate and maintainrural water supply and sanitation facilities from each water point. While there is generalrecognition of the importance of improving the governance of water systems, there seemsto be some inadequacy in commitment and ownership among actors responsible for thedifferent areas of the agreed action plan (MWE, 2013).3.3.6 Survival during emergenciesAs a result of climate change and environmental degradation, large areas of Uganda havebeen affected by prolonged dry spells and an increase in the frequency and intensity offlooding. Prolonged dry spells have become a regular occurrence in the cattle corridorstretching from Western and Central to mid Northern and Eastern Uganda. Since 1982, atleast six drought events have affected more than 500,000 people each, at times over 700,000.The 2014 Child-Focused Vulnerability Capacity Assessment found that communities inKaramoja are more vulnerable to the impact of prolonged dry spells because they practisemass deforestation and bush-burning; have low awareness of the effects of climate change;overly depend on agriculture and have limited alternative sources of income (OPM andUNICEF, 2014). Other studies combine structural effects – such as public under-investmentand an over-emphasis on short-term safety net approaches such as food transfers (RestlessDevelopment, 2013; Levine, 2010) – as drivers of vulnerability and poverty.The areas prone to floods are Kampala, Northern, South-West and Eastern regions. Theseareas are more vulnerable to floods because of low-lying terrain, poor enforcement ofriverbank and wetland management regulations, unpredictable weather, poor physicalplanning, settlement in flood basins and poor infrastructure. Vulnerability to epidemicand epizootic disease outbreaks also remains worrying. Malaria is the commonest cause ofmorbidity and mortality in the country.thE rIGht to SUrvIvaL41