The water and sanitation crisis in Ghana
Clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene are human rights, essential for health, dignity and economic development. But in Ghana, millions of people still live without these vital services.
58.6%
of people don't have clean water close to home
That's nearly 18 million people
87%
of people don't have a toilet of their own
That's nearly 27 million people
1in4
healthcare facilities have no water
And just 16% have a way to clean hands both at points of care and near toilets
The impact
4,000 children in Ghana die each year from diarrhoea and pneumonia, while nearly 1 in 4 suffer from stunting – chronic malnutrition linked to poor water and sanitation. Millions of people are being held back from reaching their potential.
Ghana is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which are already impacting on access to water in parts of the country. With several studies suggesting Ghana could become water stressed by 2025, the need to ensure everyone has sustainable WASH services is more urgent than ever.
The solution
In our last strategy period, WaterAid Ghana reached more than 3.7 million people with safe, sustainable WASH. Together, in 2023–28, we will reach even more.