Effects of COVID-19 on the provision of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in health care facilities in the Far-North Region of Cameroon

• DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.02.24302188
• Publication Date: 2024-02-04T08:25:19Z
• Authors: Carole Debora Nou...; Giequel Corniche ...; Donato Koyalta; Chanceline Biloun...; Florent Kamkumo O...; Bertin Nono; Marie Nicole Ngou...; Jigna Morarji Dharod; Catherine Juillard; Alain Chichom-Mefire; Georges Nguefack-...
• Keywords: Economics; Social Sciences; Environmental engineering; Infectious disease (medical specialty); Environmental science; Health Sciences; Pathology; Business; Disease; Sanitation; Economic growth; Global Maternal and Child Health Outcomes; Environmental planning; Geography; Health care; FOS: Environmental engineering; Health Service Utilization; Hygiene; Water resource management; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Economics, Econometrics and Finance; Environmental health; Financing of Health Care Systems and Universal Coverage; Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health; Medicine; Finance

Abstract Worldwide, the Joint Monitoring Program reports that one in four health care facilities (HCFs) lack functional water supply on premises, three hand hygiene facilities, and adequate infectious waste disposal. The COVID-19 pandemics shed light of investments, absence infrastructures, education policies related to WASH as well revealed insufficient investment healthcare safety has brought services non-negotiable for HCFs. This study used a cross-sectional pre-post framework determine proportion HCFs: meeting basic and, which improved post-COVID-19 Far-North Region Cameroon. A total 97 (23.04%) HCFs among 421 are found region were surveyed located eight (25%) 32 Health Districts. They corresponded integrated centers category (79.4%) survey’s respondent was chief HCF (92.8%). Approximately 75.3%, 0.0%, 48.5%, 46.4%, 6.2% respectively met thresholds water, sanitation, hygiene, management, environment cleaning services. When comparing pre- vs. post periods, significant increase (8%) noted optimal handwashing practices-related (P=0.0026). There also (p=0.007) with protocols available. Further, none fulfilled all criteria meet five In conclusion, response only partially services-related infrastructures missed opportunity strengthen should be continuing encouragement governments funding agencies planning budgeting healthcare-related research issues, enabling maintenance existing settings.