WaterAid’s “Time To Deliver” campaign received a renewed call to action as health leaders and advocates urged urgent investment in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) across Ghana’s health facilities to protect mothers, newborns and health workers.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, Director of the Institutional Care Division at the Ghana Health Service, stressed that clean water is fundamental to safe, dignified childbirth and quality healthcare. “Clean water saves life,” Dr. Ofori-Boadu said, framing access to safe water as the starting point for preventing infections and improving maternal and child outcomes.
The launch highlighted alarming gaps where many women still give birth in facilities without reliable access to clean water, adequate toilets or basic hygiene services.
Speakers warned these shortcomings contribute to preventable maternal and neonatal infections and undermine the ability of midwives and clinical staff to deliver lifesaving care.
Campaign leaders set a clear target: accelerate action so that by 2026 every health facility — and the communities they serve — has safe water and decent sanitation. Attendees urged political leaders, donors and community influencers to prioritize financing and policy reforms that place women at the center of WASH planning and investment.
Organizers called for a coordinated global petition led by WaterAid Ghana to build momentum and hold decision-makers accountable. The initiative seeks to mobilize funding for infrastructure, promote standards for facility-level hygiene, and amplify community voices demanding safe care environments.
Advocates said the campaign is not only about infrastructure but also dignity: clean water enables hygienic births, safer postpartum care, proper sanitation, and improved working conditions for health workers — all essential to reducing preventable deaths among mothers and babies.
WaterAid and partners are now urging stakeholders across government, civil society and the private sector to sign onto the global commitment, invest in WASH solutions, and begin counting progress toward the 2026 goal.
