Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana

This study assessed the effects of COVID-19 on Ghana’s WASH system. It focused on low-income households and WASH sector stakeholders using Ayawaso East Municipality as a case study to document lessons from the pandemic’s impact on the WASH sector. We used the water and sanitation system approach to...

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Main Authors: Darteh, Bertha, Cofie, Olufunke O., Nikiema, Josiane, Mapedza, Everisto D., Gebrezgabher, Solomie A., Okem, Andrew Emmanuel
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: IWA Publishing 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132085
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author Darteh, Bertha
Cofie, Olufunke O.
Nikiema, Josiane
Mapedza, Everisto D.
Gebrezgabher, Solomie A.
Okem, Andrew Emmanuel
author_browse Cofie, Olufunke O.
Darteh, Bertha
Gebrezgabher, Solomie A.
Mapedza, Everisto D.
Nikiema, Josiane
Okem, Andrew Emmanuel
author_facet Darteh, Bertha
Cofie, Olufunke O.
Nikiema, Josiane
Mapedza, Everisto D.
Gebrezgabher, Solomie A.
Okem, Andrew Emmanuel
author_sort Darteh, Bertha
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This study assessed the effects of COVID-19 on Ghana’s WASH system. It focused on low-income households and WASH sector stakeholders using Ayawaso East Municipality as a case study to document lessons from the pandemic’s impact on the WASH sector. We used the water and sanitation system approach to understand the effects of COVID-19 mitigation measures on the WASH system. Data were collected through surveys, stakeholder engagements, and document analysis. We found that the government’s WASH response increased hygiene practices, solid and liquid waste generation, and water consumption. Sanitation service providers experienced reduced demands for their services, lost clients, and increased operational expenditure. The pandemic’s impact is gendered, with women and girls experiencing a greater burden. We argue that responses to the pandemic highlight the need and opportunities for sustainable management of sanitation waste through integrated, circular economy business models, turning waste into valuable resources. Responses to COVID-19 in the WASH system are multisectoral because of its interconnected nature, highlighting the need to integrate sectors beyond water and sanitation. This requires improved institutional structures, policies, investment, and professionalising service providers.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace132085
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
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publisherStr IWA Publishing
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spelling CGSpace1320852025-12-08T09:54:28Z Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana Darteh, Bertha Cofie, Olufunke O. Nikiema, Josiane Mapedza, Everisto D. Gebrezgabher, Solomie A. Okem, Andrew Emmanuel covid-19 water, sanitation and hygiene wastewater waste management water management resilience pandemics municipal governments state intervention gender social inclusion women private sector investment circular economy business models policies institutions stakeholders households risk sustainability case studies This study assessed the effects of COVID-19 on Ghana’s WASH system. It focused on low-income households and WASH sector stakeholders using Ayawaso East Municipality as a case study to document lessons from the pandemic’s impact on the WASH sector. We used the water and sanitation system approach to understand the effects of COVID-19 mitigation measures on the WASH system. Data were collected through surveys, stakeholder engagements, and document analysis. We found that the government’s WASH response increased hygiene practices, solid and liquid waste generation, and water consumption. Sanitation service providers experienced reduced demands for their services, lost clients, and increased operational expenditure. The pandemic’s impact is gendered, with women and girls experiencing a greater burden. We argue that responses to the pandemic highlight the need and opportunities for sustainable management of sanitation waste through integrated, circular economy business models, turning waste into valuable resources. Responses to COVID-19 in the WASH system are multisectoral because of its interconnected nature, highlighting the need to integrate sectors beyond water and sanitation. This requires improved institutional structures, policies, investment, and professionalising service providers. 2023-10-01 2023-09-30T22:03:05Z 2023-09-30T22:03:05Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132085 en Open Access IWA Publishing Darteh, Bertha; Cofie, Olufunke; Nikiema, Josiane; Mapedza, Everisto; Gebrezgabher, Solomie; Okem, Andrew Emmanuel. 2023. Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 14p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2023.112]
spellingShingle covid-19
water, sanitation and hygiene
wastewater
waste management
water management
resilience
pandemics
municipal governments
state intervention
gender
social inclusion
women
private sector
investment
circular economy
business models
policies
institutions
stakeholders
households
risk
sustainability
case studies
Darteh, Bertha
Cofie, Olufunke O.
Nikiema, Josiane
Mapedza, Everisto D.
Gebrezgabher, Solomie A.
Okem, Andrew Emmanuel
Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana
title Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana
title_full Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana
title_fullStr Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana
title_short Response to COVID-19: building resilience through water and wastewater management in Ghana
title_sort response to covid 19 building resilience through water and wastewater management in ghana
topic covid-19
water, sanitation and hygiene
wastewater
waste management
water management
resilience
pandemics
municipal governments
state intervention
gender
social inclusion
women
private sector
investment
circular economy
business models
policies
institutions
stakeholders
households
risk
sustainability
case studies
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132085
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