WaterAid urges MMDAs to support Ghana Health Service budget for WASH infrastructure
The call was made during a two-day workshop in Bolgatanga, held from Thursday August 14, to Friday August 15, to review WASH Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) data captured in the GHS District Health Information Management System (DHIMS).
WaterAid Ghana, a member of the Sexual Health and Reproductive Education (SHARE) Project consortium, has urged four beneficiary assemblies of the SHARE Project in the Upper East Region to support the Ghana Health Service’s (GHS) budget allocation for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure.
The call was made during a two-day workshop in Bolgatanga, held from Thursday August 14, to Friday August 15, to review WASH Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) data captured in the GHS District Health Information Management System (DHIMS).
WaterAid’s Programme Manager for WASH for Public Health, Agustina Achigibah, emphasised the need to strengthen WASH IPC practices in health centres to enhance quality healthcare delivery.
“We need the Ghana Health Service to ensure that we get the right leadership, especially at the grassroots level in healthcare facilities, who can drive WASH IPC practices. We also need increased investments to drive WASH in healthcare facilities.” Achigibah said.
As part of the SHARE Project, which commenced in 2021, WaterAid has championed the construction and renovation of sanitation facilities, incinerators, and adolescent-friendly health corners in communities across the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Assembly, Kassena-Nankana West District, Builsa North District, and Bongo District.
Achigibah further urged stakeholders in the beneficiary assemblies to take ownership of the facilities and ensure their sustainability beyond the project’s end date in September 2026.
“We need the stakeholders of the district assemblies, Ghana Health Service, and our traditional authorities to take ownership of this infrastructure, sustain them so that Ghana Health Service can continue to deliver quality services.” She added.
The Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Braimah Baba Abubakari, commended the consortium for its support to health service delivery, noting that WASH facilities championed by WaterAid have contributed to increased client intake in health centres across the region.
He also called on the assemblies to integrate WASH facilities into all new health centre buildings and prioritise budgeting for their maintenance.
“It is now the responsibility of us and our district assemblies to ensure that we do not just provide health facilities, but that we also provide WASH facilities for both staff and clients.” He said.
The workshop brought together District and Municipal Health Directors and their staff, Regional and National officers of the Ghana Health Service, District and Municipal Budget Officers of the beneficiary assemblies, and representatives of the SHARE Project consortium, which includes Right To Play, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Ghana, FHI 360, and WaterAid.
The SHARE Project is supported by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.
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