Lodwar- January 17, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)

The Directorates of Public Health and Water Services, in partnership with Turkana Pastoralists Development Organization (TUPADO), convened Water, Sanitation and Hygiene partners to discuss progress and address existing gaps.

The WASH Coordination Forum aims at increasing sustainable access to improved water and sanitation services, eliminate open defecation, and improve the financial performance of water service providers in selected sub-counties.

The ongoing WASH projects carried out by the two direcorates include Kenya-WASH (K-WASH) which is a performance for results project, and Score SCORE II- Strengthening Community Resilience to Climate Change through Improved WASH Services in Turkana County, Kenya.

The SCORE II project seeks to increase awareness and adaptive capacity of WASH practices to 137,000 people in 620 villages in Turkana Central, Turkana Nkrth, Kibish and Loima sub-counties

The Director of Water Services, Paul Lotum, said there are significant water supply challenges, particularly in areas affected by drought and floods.

“The county relies heavily on surface water, which can be unreliable due to seasonal fluctuations and contamination,” he said.

He reiterated that this forum helps with bringing everyone, including the county government and partners up to speed with the ongoing intervention efforts.

According to the Assistant Director of Public Health, Innocent Sifuna, the County is among the 15 high- burden counties in terms of open defecation.

“This forum brings together WASH partners with a purpose to ensure coordinated efforts in addressing WASH issues that affect the county. This quarterly forum also helps us to learn and identify existing gaps to resource mobilise and identify solutions,” he added.

TUPADO Project Coordinator Jackline Kemboi emphasized that this forum is important to the whole of Turkana.

“This forum provides an opportunity for the county and all WASH partners to learn and exchange ideas towards avoiding duplication of resources and achieving SDG 6- water and sanitation,” she said.

Kemboi also highlighted that the expected outcome through identifying existing gaps will encourage a collaborative approach in addressing these challenges.

The next forum has been scheduled for June 12th, 2025, to discuss updates and progress.

Other WASH partners present included Concern Worldwide, Kenya Red Cross Society, and IsraAid.

Reuben Kibyego, the County WASH Coordinator (MOH), and all Sub-county water officers and public health officers were present.