Sustaining hygiene behaviour change: A case study of the Central regional rural water and sanitation project in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem district

Abstract

This study sought to find out whether improvements in hygiene behaviour during the implementation of the Central Region Rural Water & Sanitation Project (CRRWSP) from 1990 to 1998 was sustained. Eight communities in the KEEA district which benefited from the CRR WSP were randomly selected for the study. Questionnaires were administered to 20 randomly selected respondents in each community making a total of 160 respondents. Forty people were also observed for hygiene behaviour while 20 pupils each from two schools, which benefited from institutional latrines provided by the project were also interviewed. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were also held for the Water and Sanitation Committees (W A TSAN s) formed in the eight communities to see to the operation and maintenance of the facilities and also carry out hygiene promotion. The findings from the field indicated that even though hygiene education was made part of the second phase of project the Water and Sanitation Committees (W ATSANs) appeared to be weak and lacked sufficient knowledge to sustain hygiene education. Hygiene behaviours that had been sustained over the period included reliance on borehole water for drinking purposes (60.3% of respondents) and contributing towards operation and maintenance (68%). Some of the behaviours that could not be sustained included defecating in the bush, patronising unsafe sources of water, poor disposal of waste and poor environmental sanitation due to lack of consistent hygiene education. The study therefore recommends that the use of W ATSANs as the sole institution to undertake all follow up activities including hygiene promotion needs to be examined critically especially with regards to their voluntary role. There will be the need to involve already existing structures like the Environmental Health Unit, Community Health Nurses and the School Health Education Programme (SHEP).