Free Access | 2024-04-12

Reducing the Burden of Diarrhoea among Urban Households in Uganda

Authors/Editors: Ibrahim Kasirye (PhD) ,  Mildred Barungi (PhD)

Abstract:

Diarrhoea remains a big challenge to attainment of water related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Uganda. This brief examines the cost effectiveness of two water technologies in preventing Diarrhoea illness among urban households in Uganda. We estimate the reduction in the burden of disease arising from accessing either public stand-pipes or boreholes in urban areas. The two water technologies account for about 59 percent of the current water facilities used by urban residents in Uganda. Most important, public stand-pipes can only be provided to geographically concentrated population—a key characteristic of urban households—compared to geographically dispersed population in rural areas. Findings revealed that on average, the public cost per life saved is lower for public stand-pipes than for boreholes.