Context
Access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is a fundamental human right and critical for public health, yet Zamfara State in Nigeria faces significant challenges in this area. The 2021 MICS-NICS report revealed alarming statistics: 66% of households lacked handwashing facilities, 49% relied on unimproved sanitation facilities, and 20% used unimproved drinking water sources. These deficiencies contribute to the spread of diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and hepatitis, posing a severe threat to the health and productivity of the population. To address this, the Zamfara State Primary Health Care Board (ZSPHCB) partnered with ACE Strategy and Consults to conduct a comprehensive assessment across health facilities, markets, motor parks, schools, and worship centers in all 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The goal was to identify the root causes of poor WASH performance and tailor interventions to improve outcomes.
Our Approach
ACE Strategy and Consults executed a rigorous two-week assessment, deploying a multi-phase approach to ensure accuracy and inclusivity. The team trained local data collectors on the use of Open Data Kit (ODK) platforms to document WASH findings, ensuring real-time data uploads and picture evidence. State and LGA teams were mobilized to supervise field activities, while meetings were held to align stakeholders on assessment objectives and expectations. The assessment covered 683 health facilities, 236 markets, 162 motor parks, 1,287 schools, and 1,234 worship centers, providing a comprehensive dataset for analysis.
Results
The assessment highlighted critical gaps and opportunities for improvement. Access to water sources, defecation facilities and waste disposal varied across the state and in different settings such as health facilities, motor parks and worship centers.. The findings underscored the need for targeted interventions, particularly in motor parks and worship centers, which consistently underperformed across all LGAs. The data-driven approach enabled the identification of priority areas, ensuring that resources could be allocated effectively to maximize impact.
Partners: ACE Strategy and Consults | Zamfara State Primary Health Care Board