Institute synergy with public and private sectors to improve health service delivery and sanitation services (GHAN0002)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Action plan – Anloga District, Ghana, 2023 – 2024
Inception Report: Not available
Commitment Start: Jun 2023
Commitment End: Oct 2024
Institutions involved:
- Anloga District Assembly
- Anloga District Assembly
- Friends of the Nation
- Friends of the Nation
Primary Policy Area:
Primary Sector:
OGP Value:
- Civic Participation
Description
Commitment ID
GHAN0002
Commitment Title
Institute synergy with public and private sectors to improve health service delivery and sanitation services
Problem
Health and sanitation services are utilized to reduce mortality and prolong life. However, rapid population growth is becoming a social concern due to its consequential pressure on social amenities such as health facilities and sanitation services. One key health issue to address in the Anloga district is the rising burden of mental health. Currently, the estimated number of mental health service users stood at 9,689 people out of which only 210 representing 2.17 percent are receiving treatment. There are inadequate mental health facilities and limited resources (finance, manpower, logistics) at the regional and district level to address the issue of mental health.
Additionally, forty-three percent (43.0%) of households in the district have no toilet facilities while more than a quarter of households (29.1%) relied on public toilets. There is limited private sector interest in rural basic sanitation since there is a perception that investments in rural sanitation businesses are not profitable. Improved sanitation technologies are quite expensive and there’s a lack of innovative financing mechanisms to support poor households to build latrines. The construction of communal toilets also poses a major challenge since it does not motivate households to build their own toilets. Communities in waterlogged environments are disaster-prone which makes it difficult to access technologies that suit their peculiar environments.
Status quo
The Assembly had instituted measures aimed at improving health service delivery and sanitation services in the district. This includes awareness of mental health, Community-Led Total sanitation programs, and clean-up programs among others
On mental health, the following activities have been carried out;
- Organized three (3) community durbars on mental health at Salo and Tegbi and Tregui;
- Organized one (1) service user forum at Anyanui;
- Enrolment of mental health people in the NHIS scheme;
- Mental health screening and treatment.
On environmental sanitation, the following activities have been carried out;
- Organized sanitation and hygiene education programs in all communities;
- Constructed community toilets in selected communities;
- Organized education on community latrines construction;
- Organized clean-up activities in all communities;
- Enforced by-laws on environmental sanitation and land use.
Among other things, these measures did not deliver the needed results as envisaged. There is, therefore, the need to build synergy with the public and private sectors to improve health service delivery and sanitation services in the district.
Action
In order to improve health service delivery, particularly mental health, and improve sanitation services in the district, the following activities would be carried out;
- Conduct district-wide education on mental health and mental health screening,
- Provision of Psychotropic medications to mental health patients;
- Enforcement of household toilet facility as a requirement for approval of building permit,
- Gazette and enforcement of the laws,
- Licensing food vendors and undertakers in service delivery.
How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?
It is expected that the implementation of the above activities would lead to the following;
- Address mental health needs of the health workforce and general public
- Strengthen social and psychosocial care system
- Mobilize financial support and ease logistical and operational barriers
What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?
The commitment is expected to help improve health administration and service delivery
Primary Policy Area
Inclusion
Primary Sector
Health & Nutrition, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?
| Civic Participation | Implementation of this commitment will help improve sanitation and health service delivery |