The formalizing of the strategic partnership this week between the National Capital District Provincial Health Authority (NCDPHA) and WaterAid, aims to drastically improve water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and maternal health services across the Nation’s Capital.
Speaking on the vital role of external stakeholders, NCDPHA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Robin Oge highlighted that collaborative efforts are the backbone of the authority’s operational success.
“Half of our work is done through the support of our partners,” Dr. Oge stated. “Our partners contribute immensely to the outcome of our services and to our performance.”
“Working with our partners and donor agencies, including both government and the private sector, and NGOs, is critical for the health services that we give to our members and our community.”
Dr. Oge emphasized that the authority actively seeks credible partners who can align themselves with established policy directions to streamline service delivery.
NCDPHA currently coordinates with over 35 local partners across various health sectors, but the specific focus of WaterAid addresses a critical, overarching national priority.
“We are pleased to see that WaterAid is specifically focused on WASH. So, WASH is a crucial government agenda,” Dr. Oge explained, noting its prominence across state planning.
“In almost all government documents, WASH is there. All the donor documents, WASH is there. Every World Bank report annually reports on the WASH outcomes for the country.”
“So, WASH is a crucial program for this country, and it is a developmental indicator.”
The significance of reliable water access directly correlates with clinical outcomes and institutional performance standards. Dr. Oge referenced national metrics, pointing out that the presence of safe and quality water is a fundamental developmental benchmark.
“This is why one of the indicators in the Sector Performance Annual Review (SPAR) report is that there must be fresh water, running water in every health facility, without which it impacts on the performance of the theatre.”
While noting that the National Capital District is fortunate to have comparatively robust piped water infrastructure compared to other districts, allowing local health facilities to perform well, Dr. Oge stressed that the focus must now expand beyond clinic walls.
The next critical step for the authority and its partners is to ensure that the surrounding communities enveloping these health facilities gain equal access to clean, safe water.
Beyond basic infrastructure, the collaboration arrives at a time of intense national focus on broader healthcare challenges, particularly surrounding mothers and newborns.
“I also see that this is a program that focuses on maternal health, and maternal health has been a discussion, and has been a subject of debate this week and last week, even in Parliament and all-over social media,” Dr. Oge noted, affirming that NCDPHA is actively working to aggressively improve outcomes in that specific space.
Acknowledging the internal driving forces that brought the agreement to fruition, the Chief Executive thanked the NCDPHA Director and the dedicated public health team for elevating the dialogue into an actionable strategy.
With a formal signing on the horizon, the partnership is poised to move from discussion to immediate implementation.
“I look forward to the work that we will engage together in improving the WASH, strengthening the WASH activities in NCD.”
“We will look forward to the support that WaterAid will bring and how we can work together to achieve our common objectives,” Dr. Oge concluded.
