By Erica Apeatua Addo
Ho (V/R), Oct. 10, GNA-Professor Simon Mariwah, PhD, from the Department of Geography and Regional Planning has revealed that prioritizing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), services in Ghana can reduce mortality rates, improve health, enhance dignity, and drive socio-economic development.
He said thousands of lives were lost each year due to preventable WASH-related diseases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019, Ghana recorded approximately 7,635 WASH-related deaths, translating to about 21 deaths per day.
Prof Mariwah made this known at the ongoing MOLEXXXV conference being organized by CONIWAS, with support from the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, UNICEF, and the GAMA/GKMA Sanitation and Water Project.
The general theme is, “Looking Back on SDG Six Implementation in Ghana: Progress, Challenges, and Ways Forward.”
He said inadequate access to WASH services had serious implications for health, wealth, and dignity, yet, according to the WHO and UNICEF 2023 reports, access to WASH services was inadequate, mostly in developing countries.
Prof. Mariwah pointed out that there were also vast disparities across localities, regions, and socio-economic groups, stressing that “these differences represent health inequities, defined as unfair and avoidable differences in health-related outcomes and experiences based on socially stratified circumstances, such as place of residence, gender, socioeconomic status, and education.”
Addressing participants on the sub-theme “Institutional Alignment for Improved WASH Services Delivery,” Prof. Mariwah said the need for acceleration towards basic sanitation in Ghana has become a pressing issue as the country continued to struggle with inadequate access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.
He emphasised that accelerating basic sanitation was crucial for Ghana’s socio-economic development.
“Improved sanitation can reduce diarrhoea, and access to safe drinking water can reduce water-borne diseases. Moreover, basic sanitation is essential for dignity, privacy, and gender equality, particularly for women and girls who are disproportionately affected by inadequate sanitation facilities,” he noted.
Prof. Mariwah said lack of access to basic sanitation facilities, particularly in rural areas, exacerbated the problem as many communities relied on unsafe sanitation practices, contaminating water sources, and spreading diseases.
“The situation is further compounded by the lack of adequate waste management infrastructure, leading to environmental pollution, and health hazards,” he explained.
He warned that the consequences are dire and stressed that “this alarming situation underscores the urgent need for acceleration towards basic sanitation to save lives and improve livelihoods.”
Prof. Mariwah therefore urged the government, development partners, civil society organizations, and individuals to work together to accelerate basic sanitation in Ghana.
He also stressed the need to raise awareness about the need for improved sanitation and hygiene in Ghana.
Ms. Beata Awinpoka Akanyani, Chairperson of CONIWAS, stressed the essential role of WASH in achieving the SDGs and their impact on public health, economic growth, educational outcomes, social equity, and environmental sustainability.
Ing. Harold Esseku, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist at the World Bank Ghana, who spoke on the theme, called on all WASH services to focus on the circular economy and ensure that climate adaptation and mitigation are integrated into whatever they do.
GNA