World Vision Ghana says it plans to provide handwashing stations to 456 schools and healthcare facilities across six districts in the Upper East and Upper West regions by 2030.
The initiative forms part of the organisation’s Universal Service Coverage (USC) target, which seeks to ensure that at least 90 per cent of the population in its operational areas have access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Richard Iddrisu, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at World Vision Ghana, disclosed this at the 2026 Regional Hand Hygiene and WASH Leadership Summit held in Bolgatanga.
He said the organisation’s plan specifically targets 303 schools and 153 healthcare facilities in the six districts where it operates. The districts are Bawku West, Builsa South, Garu and Tempane in the Upper East Region, and Wa East and Wa West in the Upper West Region.
Mr Iddrisu said the proposed handwashing stations would include permanent facilities connected to mechanised water systems to ensure a constant flow of water, as well as portable facilities such as Veronica Buckets and refillable handwashing units.
He explained that the organisation intends to install the facilities in caregiving areas of healthcare institutions rather than merely providing water connections within their compounds.
Under the district-level targets, Bawku West is expected to receive handwashing stations in 35 schools and 20 health facilities, while Builsa South will have 110 schools and 21 health facilities covered.
Garu is expected to benefit 25 schools and 18 health facilities, with Tempane targeting 25 schools and 25 health facilities. In the Upper West Region, Wa East will have 48 schools and 24 health facilities covered, while Wa West is expected to receive facilities in 60 schools and 45 health facilities.
Mr Iddrisu, however, identified limited access to water, inadequate funding and poor maintenance of existing facilities as some of the challenges affecting efforts to improve hand hygiene in rural communities.
He said long queues at water sources and the distance residents travel to fetch water often force households to prioritise other domestic needs over handwashing.
He also noted that some schools lack child-friendly handwashing facilities, while existing installations are sometimes broken down because of inadequate funds for repairs and maintenance.
The high prevalence of open defecation, particularly in the Upper East Region, was another concern, as it undermines sanitation and hygiene practices and increases the risk of faecal-oral infections.
To sustain the intervention, Mr Iddrisu said World Vision would continue promoting behavioural change at the community level, including the use of household handwashing facilities such as tippy taps.
The organisation also plans to train artisans in the construction and maintenance of WASH infrastructure to support repairs when facilities break down.
He said World Vision had previously trained more than 300 women in Bawku West in soap-making and provided them with materials to support production, household handwashing and livelihood activities.
Mr Iddrisu further called for stronger collaboration with district assemblies, the Regional Coordinating Councils and other development partners to coordinate interventions, avoid duplication and promote local ownership.
He said partnerships were important because World Vision would not remain in the operational communities indefinitely, making it necessary for local authorities and communities to take responsibility for sustaining the facilities.
He also proposed the reintroduction of district-level sanitation league tables to rank participating districts annually against agreed criteria and encourage healthy competition in improving sanitation and hygiene.
The 2026 Regional Hand Hygiene and WASH Leadership Summit brought together stakeholders to discuss challenges and strategies for improving water, sanitation and hygiene services in the region.
A1 Radio | 101.1Mhz | Joshua Asaah
