Availability and accessibility to latrine and handwashing facilities during working hours among boda-boda drivers in Mwanza city.

BackgroundWater access and sanitation are two of the most fundamental critical urban services upon which people in cities depend. Lack of these services may pose a major threat of disease especially in low- and middle-income countries. Mwanza City in Tanzania faces serious challenges regarding to sanitation services to the public and occupational on mobile bases such as Boda-boda. Boda-boda drivers are mobile and often come up into contact with people which might lead to the spread of diseases through the fecal-oral route. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the level of accessibility and the barriers to sanitation and hygiene among the boda-boda drivers in Mwanza city. MethodsThis was a community based cross sectional study carried out in Nyamagana District that involved a randomly selected 196 participants. Data were collected using a pretested questionnaire. Data was be analyzed for frequency distribution, proportion and percentages for quantitative variables, mean {+/-} SD. ResultsAlmost a quarter (27.05%) had difficulties towards accessing latrines when they needed to use one. This was almost in parallel with 27.04% of the participants claiming latrines are not convenient in the community. Almost thirty percent (32.14%) were not satisfied with the availability of clean latrines, 67.35% claimed there are community laws or rules in place that make it more likely them to use a latrine every time they need to defecate or urinate. 84.69% showed great awareness towards realizing the importance of using latrines instead of the opposite. ConclusionOur results indicate that some of the Boda-boda drivers claims that latrines are not accessible and convenient but also habit has been a limiting factor which makes them to practice open defecation. Thus, there is inevitable need for the authority to build more clean latrines and run them as a business oriented low-cost facility i.e., pay per use. Together with making strict laws that enforces the use of latrine among the boda-boda drivers should be a priority.