The outbreak of Covid-19 in Nigeria has exposed the lapses and inadequacy of WASH services in the health sector. This made the #ClaimYourWaterRights campaign redirects its focus from sensitizing people about their human rights to water and mobilising them to demand their rights from the government to adequate WASH services in health care facilities.
State of wash in health care facilities
Most developing countries health facilities lack access to adequate water, sanitation and hygiene services. This has prevented the provision of quality health care and prevented the spread of infectious disease., also exposing health care workers and patients to greater health risk.
To this regard, Hope Spring #ClaimYourWaterRights team are trying to gather data through an online questionnaire on the state of WASH services in Nigeria health sectors to give more insight into the health sector mostly affected.
Claim Your Water rights Radio Program on WASH services in health care facilities
Aside from knowing the WASH status of health care facilities in Nigeria, It is important citizens know they have a right to water and basic sanitation facilities. The major discussion in the radio program was the importance of water in the prevention and spread of infections like Covid-19.
For a successful handwashing process, there must be easily accessible water, where people can wash their hands from time to time. You can get more knowledge on handwashing
Also discussing how citizens can hold the government responsible for the provision of wash services in health facilities. People are admonished to come together to demand their water rights from the necessary bodies, by doing so the attention of the authorities will be drawn and intervention would start.
Aside from demanding their water rights from the government, there are other ways to give a complaint. Complaints could be laid to the National human right commission online or offline.
Episode 2: Water rights and Services in health care facilities
Your water right radio program done on June 3rd was an engaging one. The background to #ClaimYourWaterRights was discussed. The vox pop from 4 health workers from different hospitals in Enugu was played. They confirmed they have no access to safe water and good toilets in their various hospitals and health centres.
The two guests Dr Ossai and Comrade Omeh spoke on the importance of regular water supply and good hygiene in health care delivery. Dr Ossai also emphasised that regular handwashing is only possible when water is available. He said the government is trying it’s best to ensure water and solar power is supplied to general hospitals.
Comrade Ossai speaking on public-private partnership in ensuring water availability, he confirmed that some philanthropists and some NGOs have been helping in the provision of water to hospitals. However, some are no longer functional due to poor maintenance. Good maintenance is recommended to make a project sustainable.
The radio program ended with contributions and feedback from callers who called on the government to provide them with water.
To volunteer and support our claim your water rights campaign, please contact us
Episode3: Water Rights and Provision in Enugu amid COVID-19
There was a brief introduction on #ClaimYourWaterRights by Ifeoma Okonkwo. The vox pop from the interview from three different communities was played. The communities acknowledged that their main source of water are wells and stream. They pleaded with the government for pipe-borne water and ready to get involved so long it’s affordable.
The two invited guests for the radio programme Engr Okeke and Hon Onyia spoke on water rights and provision in Enugu amid COVID-19.
Engr Okeke spoke about the importance of water as an effective way of tackling hygiene problems. Speaking on the challenges that greatly affected the state the most he said
As of the time we took off as the Ministry of Water Resources in August, 2007. We had a lot of challenges bothers on low capacity utilization, low manpower, low output, lack of coordination of the duties of the implementing agents. It was a big challenge. So, what we did was to begin to look at these problems.
Hon Onyia spoke on how the state government has prioritised WASH and trying to make water available in Enugu. The state is faced with power and distance problems, to tackle this problem the executive committee has approved the installation of a solar-powered borehole at 9th mile which would be completed early next year or December. He said the project will increase water distribution capacity from 2% to 70%.
Hon Onyia mentioned some of the challenges ministries of water face such as stealing of pipes, building boreholes in close proximity, erecting buildings on pipes and vandalization. He said the state water policy has been pushed to ensure that people present licence from the ministry of water resources before drilling boreholes.
He also spoke on the state partnership with various organisations who have helped in curbing the spread of coronavirus in the state.
Finally, Engr Okeke spoke on what he would do differently if he were to be in the position he said ”If I am in the position, I will insist on every agency in the ministry of water resources should have a good working plan that can guide implementation and accountability. Given the fact that we have more than 200,000 cubic meters possible sources of water in Enugu, I don’t see why water should be an issue in Enugu”.
#ClaimYourWaterRights team will be following up on the project until it’s completed and ensure that the abandoned water project in Ngenevu community is reconstructed.
Episode 4:Waste Management and Services in Enugu Metropolis
Ifeoma spoke about the state of sanitation in Enugu metropolis and the importance of an open defecation free state. She also emphasised on the rights of sanitation workers and its relation to #ClaimYourWaterRights
There was a question and answer section with Engr Nwaeze a sewage worker. He described the status of sanitation in Enugu metropolis, the state of sanitation workers, the challenges they face and also gave recommendations on how to move forward.
You can find the full version of the radio program here.
Episode 5: Waste management service in Enugu metropolis
It was an engaging section as Ifeoma gave a brief introduction on waste management in Enugu state.
It was a question and answer section between the host and the two invited guests. Ogechi and Precious discussed the state of waste management in Enugu state
They also gave their recommendations of a functional structure by the government and the 3 R’s for consumers to take responsibility (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).
Read the full version of the radio show here!
Episode 6: Water Rights and Services in Health care facilities
Ifeoma explained the importance of water in reducing the spread of COVID-19, many health workers have also lost their lives because of the unavailability of WASH services in health care facilities.
The radio program was a question and answer section by the host and the guest. The vox pop from various interviews from health workers from different health care centres in Enugu was played.
The guest spoke on the WASH condition of several health care centres visited in the state, He also spoke on the role of the government, and how private individuals and organisations can get involved. He also gave some recommendation on how to improve on this also calling out on people to speak up and claim their water rights
You can read the full version here
Episode 7: Water rights and provision in Enugu Metropolis
Water rights
After a brief discussion on the objectives of the #ClaimYourWaterRight campaign in Nigeria and Enugu being a pioneer state. There was a question and answer section between Ifeoma, a Claim Your Water Right team and Engineer Charles Eze who is the AFD Project Coordinator ( Agence Française de Développement) The project implementation Unit Enugu State Water Corporation.
Read the entire interview section
Episode 8: Accountability in the WASH Sector
Water Rights
Having highlighted the AFD project, Ifeoma stated that the radio programme is to sensitize the citizen on how to hold the government accountable for the AFD project and other subsequent projects.
The invited guest spoke on the state of WASH projects and also gave their recommendation on the way forward to the citizens and government
You can read the full conversation here
Episode 9: The State of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Hospitals in Enugu State
The radio program was an interactive section between the guest and the host. They spoke on the state of WASH in Enugu state hospitals and gave their recommendation on the way forward. There are also responses from callers
You can read the full radio interaction here!
Human Rights And Water Provision
It was a question on Human right to water with a comprehensive explanation on how people can leverage human right to water to get their desired result.
Read the full radio program here
Affordability, Availability & Accessibility of Water in Enugu amidst the #COVID19
It was an interactive section between the host and the guests on the availability and affordability of water in Enugu most especially amid COVID-19. You can read the full program here
Federal and State Water Projects in Enugu State
In #ClaimYourWaterRights quest toward increasing water production in Enugu State and alleviating water poverty, The former director of the state ministry of water resources Engineer Fidelis Okeke was invited to speak on the previous and present state water projects and how to increase water production through other water sources.
Read the full program here
Human Rights to Water: The Role of the National Human Rights Commission
Mr Eze Iheukwumere Assistant Director, Public Affairs, National Human Rights Commission, Enugu State and Mr Daniel a member of #ClaimYourWaterRights were the guests for the radio programme. They discussed water rights and how NHRC can help people investigate and monitor cases of human right violations. Find out more about water rights and NHRC.
