Lodwar – October 21, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)

The Department of Health and Sanitation hosted a team from the State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards to assess the progress of the KOICA-WASH SCORE II project in Loima, Turkama North, Kibish, Turkana Central, and Loima sub-counties.

The purpose of the visit was to identify the county’s progress towards addressing the goal of improving Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene interventions, as Turkana County is among the 19 counties supported through the KOICA-WASH (SCOREII) project.

The KOICA-WASH (SCOREII) project, funded by Korea through UNICEF, targets 620 villages under the Community Led-Total Sanitation to attain open defecation free status, with 100 villages already triggered for certification.

The Director for Policy Planning, Coordination, Monitoring, and Evaluation, James Lobokan, urged the Project Implementors Unit under the department to conduct supervision in Namukuse and Naduat, which have a high prevalence of open defecation cases.

He also emphasized to the County WASH Hub team to expedite progress on developing the County Water Sanitation Strategy Investment Plan, which will provide a road-map for WASH implementation and mobilize resources for sustainability.

During the initial phase, the UNICEF and County-led SCORE project sponsored through KOICA delivered 76 water projects and certified more than 250 villages as Open Defecation Free in Turkana Central and Loima sub-counties.

KOICA’s Head of WASH Unit, Division for Environmental Health and Sanitation Doyle Leonard, called for harmonisation between the Water and Health departments to
achieve a common goal of eliminating open defecation.

In attendance were the Director of Community Health Services, Dr Joseph Lolepo, the Acting Deputy Director of Public Health Ismael Ekaran, County WASH Coordinator Reuben Kibiego, and County Public Health Officer Crisanthus Lirunde.