Do the WASH services meet the users’ need?

We know that water, sanitation, and hygiene services are available in schools and health facilities, but do they reliably meet the needs of students, patients, and staff? To answer this question, Helvetas Mozambique has joined a global research initiative led by Northwestern University, University at Buffalo and the Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium called the Institutional Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Experiences Scale (INWISE).  With the aim of assessing the levels of insecurity of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in 10 schools and 9 health facilities in the districts of Nampula and Cabo Delgado provinces, respectively. Helvetas launched data collection for Mozambique as part of the Health Promotion and Oratta projects funded by the Swiss Embassy in Mozambique and Helvetas.

The study is approved by National bioethics committee for health and is expected to involve 300 students and 250 school staff, as well as 300 patients and 250 healthcare workers.

The INWISE research methodology builds on a similar research to develop experiential indicators that led to the creation of the Household Water Insecurity Experience Scale (HWISE), validated and launched globally in 2018. INWISE research is ongoing in a dozen other countries including Uganda, Nepal, Ghana, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.

Reliable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is essential for the health, dignity, and productivity of students, patients, and staff in schools and healthcare facilities. The Institutional Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Experiences (INWISE) Project aims to develop tools that assess whether this fundamental human right is being fulfilled.