Safety is assured with clean water; Zainab can now provide quality healthcare.
Gamboru Primary Healthcare Centre established in 1976 is the only health facility in Limanti Ward of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) that offers Antenatal & Immunisation services, Delivery services, Family planning, HIV/AIDS counselling.
The centre attends to an average of 200-250 clients daily. Before the implementation of The Coca-Cola Foundation-funded Strengthening Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (S-WASH) project, the facility suffered a lack of access to clean water making it hard to access safe and quality healthcare services.
48-year-old Zainab Bulama, who is the Officer-in-Charge of the facility is excited that she can now carryout her duties without fear of contacting infectious diseases and she no longer pays out-of-pocket to buy water.
“In the past, we had no water to wash our hands or even flush the toilets. I buy water using my personal funds but with the rehabilitation of the borehole and the provision of handwashing station, my finances have improved.
To be honest in the past, it was so bad that we asked pregnant women in labour to come along with water as part of their delivery items. The water sometimes is not enough to properly clean the mothers and their babies. The babies have their first proper bath at home.”
She confesses that the facility now teaches clients about hygiene behaviours since the provision of clean water.
"With water reticulated to the wards and the handwashing station, we are insisting that clients wash their hands before accessing any services. We also teach them other hygiene behaviours so that it can reduce the foul smell that emanates from their body especially those for antenatal."
She stated that some money from services paid will be channeled towards the maintenance of the facilities provided.
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WaterAid Nigeria, with funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), implemented an 18-month project to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene service delivery in four communities within and around the Maiduguri Metropolis in Borno State. The project, which is managed by the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF), a technical partner to TCCF focused on improving access to water through the rehabilitation and construction of water schemes, water kiosks, and key community touch points with particular attention to the health and empowerment of women and youth. The project is expected to reach 8,640 people with clean water, 3,000 people with handwashing facilities, 3000 people with hygiene kits, 28 women empowered through training received as members of WCAs and 8 youths trained as artisans to carry out regular maintenance and minor repairs of rehabilitated water schemes.
