Senators, yesterday, sensitised officials in eight districts about the need to improve hygiene conditions  in homes and public areas.

The districts visited by the senators were Burera, Nyaruguru, Bugesera, Muhanga, Huye, Rusizi, Nyagatare and Nyabihu.

Participants in the drive on hygiene  included women leaders at the district and sector levels, community health workers at the sector level, as well as district and sector officials in charge of hygiene and social affairs.

According to Senate vice-president, Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba, issues addressed in the meetings include how to improve children’s hygiene, maintaining clean homes and ensuring that public places, such as markets and schools, are clean and are provided with public toilets.

"Maintaining cleanliness requires constant efforts and cooperation among all institutions. That is why senators have to intervene at the local level to raise awareness about hygiene,” Gakuba told The New Times yesterday.

The senators’ visit to the districts was a follow-up on another hygiene campaign they conducted in several districts across the country in January.

The senators made assessments on how their recommendations handed to district officials in January have been implemented by local officials.

Gakuba said the senators will make more recommendations to local officials at the end of their trip, which the local officials are expected to implement in a bid to improve hygiene in their areas.

The senators’ hygiene campaign in the districts is in line with one of the Senate’s mandate to carrying  out outreach programmes.