By Foday Moriba Conteh
Statistics has revealed that more than 800 children under age 5 die every day from diarrhoea caused by contaminated water, poor sanitation and unsafe hygiene.
However, World Vision, an international non-governmental organisation, believes the global water and sanitation crisis can be solved and that is why it is focused on ensuring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) for every person in every community they work in, including the most vulnerable populations in the hardest-to-reach places.
For World Vision this work is more important now than ever, since clean water is essential for handwashing and disinfection to prevent the spread of diseases like COVID-19.
In order to complement Government’s effort through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Water Resources, World Vision Sierra Leone in April 2021 under its Sustainable Water Project (WASH Project) handed over two water supply projects for Ola During and Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) on Fourah Bay Road and the Macauley Street Government Hospital respectively to Guma Water Company and also handed over the work plan for the total renovation and rehabilitation of the Macauley Street Government Hospital to God’s Gift Construction and General Services.
In a bid to monitor progress on the water supply projects to Ola During and Princess Christian Maternity Hospital and Macauley Street Government Hospital, Senior Management Staff of the World Vision and officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and Guma Valley Water Company on Friday 18th June 2021 undertook site visits to the respective work sites and hospitals.
The World Vision team lead by the Country Manager, Sagane Thiaw, expressed their satisfaction with the work done so far by Guma Valley Water Company as there was running water supply to most of the hospital wards at Ola During and PCMH even though the works is about 70% completed.
Speaking on behalf of Guma Valley Water Company, the Area Manager East, Joseph Wandoh, said they are ensuring that a perfect work is done and a dedicated water connection taken from Kissy Road is laid through Easton Street.
He added that no customer will be connected to the water supply line being laid for Ola During and PCMH to ensure that there is adequate water supply in the two facilities at all times which would add to the positive actions that comes from the hospitals in terms of child delivery and care.
A lactating mother at the Sarah Koroma Ward at Ola During Hospital, Mayalie Bangura expressed her delight for the running water in the Ward which has been flowing every day since her child was hospitalized.
It could be recalled that few years back World Vision Sierra Leone with experts from Guma, the Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Health did a comprehensive fact finding at the Ola During Hospital, PCMH, and also the Macauley Street Hospital where they saw the real need for water and for the sake of the children and those in need, decided to provide such facilities which they have done.
