Representatives from the 18 Provincial Health Authorities convened last week in Mt Hagen Western Highlands province for the three days National Validation Workshop for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Healthcare Facilities (HCFs) in PNG.
The workshop was held for the participants from the PHAs to review, provide input into and validate a draft national standards and guidelines for WASH in HCFs and roadmap for their rollout as well as a preceding situational analysis which once endorsed are expected to contribute to improved inclusive and resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities (HCFs) across the country.
Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority (WHPHA) Acting Chief Executive Officer Paulus Ripa said, improving access to clean water supply and decent toilets in healthcare facilities will lead to low morbidity and mortality in healthcare facilities.
“If we had good water supply, we wouldn’t see half of the number of people present with sicknesses at the healthcare facilities,” Dr Ripa said.
Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council Director for Health Roselyn Melua said government needed to take lead in implementing its priorities.
She encouraged participants to reach out to their provincial authorities as a way forward because the ‘largest chunk’ of funds for 2023 budget was allocated towards health and infrastructure development in the provinces.
Ms Melua highlighted corruption as a common issue that is affecting proper use of funds for their correct purposes (like WaSH) and urged that it is everyone’s responsibility to fight corruption in whatever position they are in.
Meanwhile, the workshop participants have been encouraged to form WASH Committees at Provincial and District level, increase partnerships, increase human resource, increase funding, increase monitoring and reporting and strengthen existing PHA system to cater for WASH while awaiting endorsement and approval of the guidelines.
National Department of Health (NDoH) Acting Manager for Environmental Health, Rose Kavanamur expressed gratitude for partners support in ensuring the workshop eventuated.
“On behalf of the department, we are actually implementing one of the key activities and I would like to thank and appreciate WaterAid for supporting us in ensuring one of our key priorities is achieved,” said Mrs Kavanamur.
WaterAid PNG is working in partnership with NDoH, Department of National Planning & Monitoring’s WASH Program Management Unit (PMU), WHO and other key stakeholders and non-government organizations to improve health outcomes through improved water, sanitation and hygiene in HCFs across PNG.
