31-07-2012
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| Some of the competing schools |
In line
with its efforts to improve health and hygienic behaviors in schools, World
Vision (WV) has organized quiz competition for some selected schools in the
Kassena-Nankana West District (KNWD) under the Water, Sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
component of the organization. In all, 8 schools drawn from Sirigu, Mirigu and
Kandida Area councils participated in this year’s quiz competition, the first
of its kind to be organized in the district. The event attracted members of the
various school health clubs including teachers and pupils. Speaking to Radio
Ghana, the WASH facilitator, Josiah Aduah disclosed that World Vision believes
that simplest measures like washing with water and soap has the potential of
preventing diseases, hence their vision to improving the health condition of
children in deprived areas of the country and to save lives worldwide through
good sanitary practices. The WASH campaign, he explained, was to ensure that
children become the agent of change in influencing people’s behaviors towards
good health. Children, he moreover stressed, can bring about change in
achieving the millennium development goal on health. Mr. Aduah recounted some of the interventions
put in place by world vision to improve on the health situation of children and
mentioned the inauguration of school health clubs as one of the interventions.
The quiz completion he explained forms part of their activities geared at
educating pupils on the need for healthy sanitary behaviours. Another area
which is given much prominence by WV is the Community and school Led Total
Sanitation, where world vision provides technical support to help realize its
set objectives. This intervention he explains is backed by the government of
Ghana and other implementing agencies. The KNWD
SHEP Coordinator in charge of sanitation, Rev Monica Achana said the
district education directorate put much premium in the health of pupils and has
over the years collaborated with other organizations to improve upon the health
condition of school children. World Vision, she disclosed has been of
tremendous help to the directorate through the provision of hand washing
facilities as well as the formation of school health clubs. They have also contributed
in the training of health teachers in beneficiary schools in the district and
called for more support. Rev. Achana said children should be considered as the
first point of contact as far as health and hygiene behaviors is concerned and
appealed to other organizations concerned to complement the efforts of World
Vision in given children the best of education on health. She bemoaned the
practice of open defecation and encouraged students to educate their parents
and the community on the dangers of the practice. At the end of the quiz competition, Sirigu
Primary ‘A’ was adjudged winners clinching 58 points to beat Fr Morin Primary,
who had 56 points to occupy the second position. Sirigu Primary B came third
after clinching 54 points followed by Nyangolingo primary school. They were
presented with sanitary tools including water containers, rakes and shovels.
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