REVIEW OF THE PROVISION OF WATER, SANITATION AND THEIR RELATED HYGIENE PRACTICES IN KPASSA TOWNSHIP OF NKWANTA DISTRICT, VOLTA REGION

ABSTRACT

The study, which was conducted in July 2003 focuses on assessing the provision of water, sanitation and related hygiene practices in Kpassa Township in Nkwanta District. This will serve as an update on baseline data to be used for informing policy makers about water, sanitation and hygiene practices in the District. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in data collection. Sixty (60) households were interviewed and observed using the multistage approach to select the households. In addition two (2) focus group discussions were conducted separately for men and women, a general non-participatory observation by the researcher was conducted in the 6 enumeration areas of the township including the water sources and the communal sanitary facilities. The records of the health centre were reviewed from year 2000 to 2002 for the diseases in the township. Findings show that the main source of drinking water for the township is the river, and the existing hygiene condition of this source was very poor posing a serious health problem to the township. Another finding showed that majority of the households stored water for drinking in a covered container and claimed that they cleaned these containers every 2 - 4 days, but it was observed that 28.3% of the households had their containers not clean. There were only 2 communal toilets observed in the township. It was also revealed that 70% of the households interviewed did not have toilet facility and therefore the household members defecate in the bush. Children's faeces were disposed of openly in the backyard. While 96.7% of the households claim they wash their hands with soap and water, only 55.2% claim they wash their hands with soap before eating and 15.5% claim they wash their hands after attending to the babies faeces. Additionally only 58.6% claim they wash their hands after defecation and 46.6% claim they wash their hand with soap before cooking. Another finding was that 90% of the households think that faeces are harmful but it was observed that 20 to 25% of the households interviewed had faeces both inside and outside the compound of the households. Recommendations given were directed to:

1. The Nkwanta District Assembly to sink more boreholes and provide more communal toilets.

2. The Nkwanta District Director of Health Services to plan and implement hygiene promotion programmes to help the people to understand and develop good hygiene practices, so as to prevent diseases and promote a positive attitude towards cleanliness.

3. Environmental Health Officers to conduct periodic inspection of households to ensure that members of the community practice good environmental sanitation.

4. Community leaders to organize periodic communal labour to clean their surroundings