Women in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region are demanding increased and sustained investment in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in healthcare facilities across the district.
The women, under the Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors initiative, say inadequate WASH facilities are compromising infection prevention, patient safety and maternal and newborn healthcare.
They are therefore calling on the Bongo District Assembly to establish a dedicated and trackable budget line for WASH within the District Health Service budget.
The petition was presented to the District Coordinating Director, John Jojoe Amanah, by the Leader of the Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors, Hannah Talata Asanyuure.
The women said their demands were informed by evidence gathered through citizen scorecards, engagements with health facilities and their experiences as women, mothers, caregivers and users of healthcare services.
They identified unreliable access to safe water, inadequate or poorly maintained toilets and handwashing facilities, poor sanitation facilities for women, pregnant women and persons with disabilities, as well as weak healthcare waste management as some of the major challenges.
They also cited inadequate funding for the operation and maintenance of WASH facilities, gaps in maternity infrastructure and limited access to information on district plans, budgets and progress on WASH.
According to the women, communities across all the sub-districts identified WASH as a major development priority during consultations for the preparation of the District Medium-Term Development Plan.
They therefore want the Assembly to include specific and costed WASH interventions in its Annual Action Plan and relevant departmental budgets.
The women further urged the Assembly to apply the government’s directive on allocating 20% of applicable district resources to WASH, with clear identification of the amount allocated and the portion earmarked for WASH in healthcare facilities.
They said the funding should cover not only infrastructure but also recurrent needs, including water supply, repairs, maintenance, cleaning materials, accessible sanitation facilities and safe healthcare waste management.
The group is also calling for regular assessments of WASH conditions in healthcare facilities and the development of costed action plans to address identified gaps.
The women said the Assembly had previously committed to supporting the establishment of a dedicated WASH budget line within the District Health Service budget following an engagement during the Time to Deliver Global Week of Action.
While welcoming that commitment, they are demanding concrete action as the Assembly prepares its next Annual Action Plan and budget.
They have also requested a formal response from the Assembly outlining the actions to be taken, responsible institutions and timelines for implementation.
The Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors, under the auspices of WaterAid Ghana, are advocating for improved WASH services in healthcare facilities across Bongo District.
Source: Bolgafmonline,com| 102.7 MHz| Moses Anaba| Bolgatanga
