Assessing hygiene and health related improvements of a rural water supply and sanitation programme in northern Ghana

Abstract

A case control study was carried out to assess hygiene and health related improvements of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Hygienic improvements were measured in terms of sources of water collection and storage arrangements, waste disposal, hand washing, food storage arrangements, and defecation and practices associated with faeces. The perception of women on the mode of transmission and treatment of selected water and sanitation related diseases were the criteria used to assess health related improvements. Comparison of the results in the programme and non‐programme communities indicates that the water and sanitation programme has achieved some degree of success in the areas of water use and water and food storage for the beneficiaries. However, little has been accomplished in changing people's attitude towards the disposal of household, animal and human waste. In addition, the programme has so far been minimally effective in enhancing women's knowledge about the transmission and treatment of water and sanitation related diseases.