Equipped for impact : connecting the system-dots between services and good governance in healthcare facilities

Many health centres in Uganda are without exclusive water supply, sometimes buying limiting portions from vendors or sharing a community unsafe water source. Sanitation and hygiene facilities are grossly substandard and not inclusive, with women and girls sharing a single unit latrine with men. Dangerous medical waste is carelessly dumped with neither designated collection points nor licenced incinerators.

Advocacy to increase attention to WASH services in healthcare facilities is yielding results with IRC's approach of transforming model health centres to demonstrate safe water supply, sustainable sanitation, hygiene and medical waste management. But it has become evident that installations and constructions will not address WASH service deficiencies which heavily undermine the quality of health services if governance structures are not working well.

This is a case story of progress and gains in connecting good governance in healthcare to WASH service interventions through deliberate involvement and capacity building for health unit management committees in Kabarole and Bunyangabu districts in western Uganda.