Women in the Bongo District of Ghana have petitioned the Bongo District Assembly to increase and sustain investment in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in healthcare facilities across the district. The petition, presented by the Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors, highlights the inadequate WASH services in some healthcare facilities, which are undermining infection prevention and control, patient safety, maternal and newborn health, and the provision of safe and dignified care.
The Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors initiative is under the auspices of WaterAid Ghana, a WASH-focused organisation, aimed at empowering women to increase advocacy and demand for WASH services in healthcare facilities across the district. The petition calls on the Assembly to establish a dedicated and trackable budget line for WASH within the District Health Service budget, beginning with the current Annual Action Plan and Budgeting process.
The petition also urges the Assembly to include specific and costed WASH interventions in healthcare facilities in the District Annual Action Plan and relevant departmental plans and budgets. The women cited evidence gathered through citizen scorecard processes, engagements with healthcare facilities, and their experiences as women, mothers, caregivers, and users of healthcare services, which identified several major challenges, including unreliable access to safe and adequate water and inadequate or poorly maintained toilets and handwashing facilities.
The petition noted that communities across all sub-districts had identified and prioritised WASH as a major development need during community action-planning consultations for the preparation of the District Medium-Term Development Plan. This demonstrates that improved WASH services are a district-wide priority and should be adequately reflected in district plans and budgets.
The women also called on the Assembly to apply the Government's directive on allocating 20 per cent of applicable district resources to WASH and clearly identify the amount allocated, including the proportion dedicated to WASH services in healthcare facilities. They requested adequate funding for both infrastructure and recurrent costs, including water supply, repairs, operation and maintenance, cleaning and hygiene materials, accessible sanitation, and safe healthcare waste management.
The petition recalled that during the Time to Deliver Global Week of Action, the Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors engaged the Bongo District Assembly on the need to improve WASH services in healthcare facilities. The Assembly subsequently committed to supporting the establishment of a dedicated budget line for WASH within the District Health Service budget.
The Women Time to Deliver Ambassadors welcomed the commitment but urged the Assembly to translate it into concrete action, particularly as it prepares its Annual Action Plan and budget. They requested a formal response from the Assembly outlining the actions to be taken, the responsible institutions, and proposed timelines, to ensure that fulfilling the commitment will protect lives, improve maternal and child health, strengthen patient safety, and ensure safe and dignified healthcare for everyone in Bongo District.
Key points
- Women in Bongo District petition Assembly for increased investment in WASH services
- Petition calls for dedicated budget line for WASH within District Health Service budget
- Improved WASH services are a district-wide priority, as identified by communities during action-planning consultations
