Effect of household water treatment on under five diarrhoea in Ghana

Abstract

Improving access to safe water, is on the frontline of efforts to achieve the anticipated 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 3 and 6. However, unsafe drinking water, remains a critical issue of concern in Ghana, causing high mortality and morbidity rate among children under the age of five years, especially due to diarrhoea disease. Household water treatment (HWT) can effectively reduce the exposure to unsafe drinking water, a major cause of diarrhoea diseases. Assessing the relative effect of household water treatment (HWT) on under five diarrhoea in Ghana, is essential for enhancing the adoption of HWT. This thesis examines the effect of household water treatment (HWT) on child under five diarrhoea in Ghana. The study used a dataset obtained from the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHS) conducted in 2014. Probit and endogenous treatment effect models were employed for the analyses. Results show that household water treatment (HWT) and improved sanitation are likely to reduce the prevalence of diarrhoea among children aged under five in Ghana by 30 percent and four percent respectively. Even though previous studies in Ghana on this issue showed that drinking improved water source reduce the odds of under five diarrhoea. This study found that drinking from improved water sources rather increases the odds of diarrhoea by about three percent and the potential explanations for this rather puzzling finding is that improved sources are not monitored once provided. The study recommends that the Health Promotion Unit through Community Nurses (CN) and the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), should advocate and intensify education programs on the importance of adopting household water treatment (HWT) and practicing proper sanitation in order to curb child diarrhoea. Also, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) should regularly monitor sachet and bottled water and other improved water sources for microbial quality to ensure that consumers are offered clean and safe drinking water in Ghana.