#WAGstories | #WASH4PH | WaterAid Ghana
The importance of good running water in health delivery cannot be overemphasised. Centres need water to render services to clients when they come to access health care. Most health centres in the Kansena Nankana District lacked access to water which made healthcare delivery tedious health care workers. The Navio CHPS Compound in the district is one of the health centres that is benefiting from the work of WaterAid. Weken Charlotte, the community health nurse, said since WaterAid came to their health facility, they have improved the health delivery in their health centre with regards to a WASH facility and adequate supply of water.
Previously, health workers had to delay in providing health services to clients because they did not have water in the facility and had to go long distances to get water. "We had only one borehole in this community before WaterAid came. We used to queue to fetch the water for our facility for handwashing before our day started and that consumed a lot of our time." According to Charlotte, with the presence of WaterAid, things have become a lot easier for them. Now they just walk into the facility and wash their hands before attending to each patient.
Navio CHPS Compound | Kassena Nankana West District.
The Disease Control Officer for the CHPS, Mr Natimba Robert also noted how a lot of diseases that were caused by an inadequate supply of water have been reduced in the community. Diseases such as Diarrhoea and cholera have reduced drastically. The health facility has not recorded those cases like in the past since WaterAid came to their rescue. WaterAid has supplied the facility with a lot of water aiding the facility in facing fewer of the cases they would have if there was no adequate supply of water. Before a client received any healthcare service, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Natimba says clients had to wash their hands regularly under running water while all health professionals washed their hands before attending to any patient.
WAG Stories | Kassena Nankana West District.
WaterAid also provided nose masks, hand sanitisers and other logistics to ensure the smooth running of the facility during the pandemic. The WaterAid also provided the CHPS Compound with a WASH facility that has helped the clients with a lot of privacy especially when women come for UPT (Urinary Pregnancy Test). New mothers also use the facility to bathe immediately after delivery. WaterAid has helped reduce the stress and time health professionals had to go through and waste when their only source of water was the community borehole.
The job of all the various units in the facility has been made easier since all have sinks extended. The CHPS Compound has partnered with WaterAid for campaigns, they have also provided Veronica buckets at various outreach points for hand washing. There has also been advocacy for every house to own a toilet to reduce the open defecation in the various communities. There has been a lot of achievement as a result of these campaigns and facilities provided by WaterAid. A cholera outbreak has reduced and most of the community members have seen the importance of the WASH facility to open defecation. Role models were chosen among the community members for the rest of them to emulate their good behaviour. In partnership with WaterAid last year, CHPS Compound held a campaign called the Clean Community Campaign (CCC). Which was about regular hand washing under running water, drinking potable water, having and using a clean toilet, and consuming warmed foods to prevent sicknesses.
This was done with community members. Even though most of them do not own household toilets, health officials from the CHPS Compound inspected houses that had. The community members were taught how to use and maintain it. Community members were also educated on the need to use and drink potable water by using containers with lids when they are going to fetch water from the borehole and the containers should be washed thoroughly. Leftover foods should be warmed before consumption, especially for children. Children eating cold foods cause illness. Children should not be allowed to defecate in the open, rather caregivers should guide them to defecate in a chamber pot and be poured into a manhole afterwards.