Monitoring water bound diseases in communities with WATSAN committees in Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana

Abstract

Empowering communities through the concept of community management of water and sanitation facilities equips them with managerial responsibilities on beneficiary communities in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. Five districts representing 22.7% out of the twenty-two were sampled, namely, Asutifi, Sunyani West, Tano North and Tano South Districts and Sunyani Municipal. A total of ninety-eight (98) communities were examined; Asutifi district having thirty-two (32) communities, Sunyani West seventeen (17), Tano North eighteen (18), Tano South fourteen (14) and Sunyani Municipal fifteen (15) communities, where water facilities were constructed between November 2011 to March 2012. The monitoring was undertaken from June to August 2017. The results indicated that among the five water bound diseases (Bilharzia, Guinea worm, Diarrhea, Round worm and Malaria), the incidence of Bilharzia, Guinea worm were completely not recorded at their nearby health facilities. However, incidences of diarrhea (30%), round worm (20%) and malaria (44%) were recorded in communities from their health facilities. The incidences of diarrhea among children were high (45%) across the sampled communities and women (35%) and males (20%). Recorded round worm infection among children were higher at the health facilities (60%), Females or women (30%) and males (10%). Malaria also recorded high incidences among children (55%), women (30%) and (15%) among the males. The monitoring has proved that availability water facilities in communities help to reduce incidence of water bound diseases in communities with functioning WATSANs.