ANAM WASH HUB UPDATE-May 2020
ANAM Partners Covid-19 monthly meeting series
In May 2020, IRC Ghana organized the first in the series of monthly meetings to review progress of implementation of the district COVID-19 response and preparedness efforts. The meeting discussed updates from the district and ANAM partners on their response efforts to COVID-19 and WASH IPC needs assessment report which identified challenges and proposed solutions for strengthening WASH IPC in the district.
The meeting observed many commendable interventions by the district, ANAM partners, and other organisations to fight COVID-19 including the procurement of some PPEs for health care workers, hand hygiene products and supplies, and training of frontline workers to undertake public health risk communication.
Participants at the meetings approved the WASH IPC needs assessment report and provided inputs for a joint proposal to the Hilton Foundation for additional financing to deal with short and medium term Covid-19 response interventions currently not being addressed by the district assembly and under existing partner grants. The District Chief Executive Honourable, Anthony Mensah in his remarks at the meeting, thanked all partners for their support towards the COVID-19 efforts of the district which has gone a long way to help the district deal with the pandemic.
Needs Assessment of WASH IPC in Health Care Facilities in Asutifi North District
The Asutifi North District Assembly and the District Health Directorate with support from the IRC Ghana have carried out a need’s assessment of WASH IPC in Health Care Facilities in the Asutifi North District. The specific objectives of the assessment were to: assess the readiness of HCFs to response to Covid-19; identify gaps and challenges in WASH IPC in HCFs; and propose actions for improving the preparedness and response of the HCFs to COVID-19. The report identifies challenges and gaps in the preparedness of HCFs to fight COVID-19, outlines interventions to address the gaps, and provides an inventory of current and required stocks of critical PPEs and supplies required by health care workers to stay safe. The assessment report will inform targeting of interventions and deployment of WASH supplies and products in HCFs.
Public awareness creation on Covid-19 on ANAM Radio and other channels
The 14th ANAM WASH Radio programme on Anapua Fm focused on preventive and safety protocols outlined by the Ghana Health Service for compliance by citizens to reduce the risk of infection and transmission of COVID-19. These measures range from social distancing, handwashing with soap under running water to wearing of face mask. Resource persons from the District Health Directorate took listeners through the various protocols and answered questions from the public.
Capacity building of Community Based Surveillance Volunteers and Public Health Promoters on Covid-19 in Asutifi North District
The Asutifi North District Assembly and the District Health Directorate with support from World Vision Ghana trained 98 Community Based Surveillance Volunteers and Hygiene Promoters in the district on COVID-19. The training was carried out in four Area Councils namely Kenyasi, Ntotroso, Goamu and Gambia. The training equipped Community Based Surveillance Volunteers and Hygiene Promoters with knowledge on Covid-19 and tools to undertake community level and house-house sensitisation to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
