By Emmanuel Olinga
KATAKWI
The Katakwi district health department has encouraged parents to provide adequate undergarments for both girls and boys attending school as part of a plan to reduce UTI infections.
To avoid UTI outbreaks, school-aged children must be given appropriate underwear. Health professionals recommend having additional underwear for changing while students are at school to prevent the prevalence of bacteria that cause Urinalysis UTI, which can worsen the condition.
Mark Anthony Omoding, disease Surveillance Officer for Katakwi District, on Thursday, 6th March, 2025 underlined the significance of illness prevention over cure, advising parents to make sure their school-aged children have enough underwear and panty pegs to avoid UTI infections.
According to Omoding, during visits to some schools to examine hygiene, he discovered that some parents fail to buy their children new pants and instead allow them to return to school wearing dirty, worn, and torn underwear, despite the fact that treating UTI costs far more money than preventing it through hygiene.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects the urinary tract, which includes the bladder, kidneys, and urethra. UTIs are common and can be painful, but they are usually treated with antibiotics.
Symptoms Pain or burning while urinating, frequent urination, Feeling the need to urinate even when the bladder is empty, Bloody urine, and Pressure or cramping in the lower abdomen or groin.
UTIs typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to spread in the bladder. The urinary system is designed to keep out bacteria.
The most common UTIs occur mainly in women and affect the bladder and urethra.
According to Omoding, parents should give their children at least 6 and no more than 15 panties per term to combat bacteria that cause urinary tract infections.
He also underlined the necessity for school administrators to develop hygienic facilities for females to use in menstrual hygiene management.
