WASH

Providing WASH Infrastructure against NTDs

The Problem

An estimated Forty-five per cent of rural communities in the Biakoye and Jasikan Districts of the Oti Region lack access to clean water while 51 per cent of these communities including Amanfrom also lack access to proper sanitation and hygiene facilities. The phenomenon, exacerbated by population growth, agricultural expansion, unevenly distributed services, and polluted sources makes people in the district overly vulnerable to Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Furthermore, low health coverage, poor quality health services, and deteriorating physical assets have contributed to the inability of the community to access adequate amounts of clean water.

The NTDs

Untreated water is unsafe. It can result in intestinal parasites contracted by the community members especially, children. Poor hygiene and sanitation can also result in skin NTDs such as Buruli Ulcer, Yaws and Leprosy.
The two districts Biakoye and Jasikan are known to be the most endemic areas for skin NTDs such as Buruli Ulcer, Yaws, Leprosy and other skin NTDs such as lymphatic filariasis.

The Intervention

A swift intervention by Care Net Ghana with support from ANESVAD saw the execution of several projects to boost WASH practices aimed at reducing spread of NTDs in the 2 districts.

Objective

Contribute to improve the control of BU and achieve the elimination of Leprosy and Yaws in Biakoye and Jasikan Districts.
The goal of the project is to improve the right to health of the people through the increased provision of potable water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, as well as vigorous hygiene promotion campaigns. The projects included

• Improve availability and guarantee sustainability of affordable, culturally and gender sensitive WASH infrastructure in targeted communities, schools and health facilities
• Initiate and improve healthy WASH related practices and behaviours.
• Training and sensitisation of Stakeholders on the relationships between WASH and skin NTDs

Impact

In the long term, the project will improve the living standards of the people in communities of the two districts.