WaterAid Asks Bauchi To Prioritise Rehabilitation Of WASH Facilities In Budget

WaterAid Nigeria has called on the Bauchi State Cholera Technical Working Group to prioritise the rehabilitation of dilapidated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in its budget to ensure a rapid response to cholera outbreaks and other waterborne diseases.

The State Task Team lead of WaterAid, Mashat Mallo, made the call at the maiden meeting of the technical working group in Bauchi yesterday.

She said the continued reliance on donors was unsustainable, noting that funds were often channelled through ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) specifically for the maintenance and sustainability of WASH facilities.

“You need to return to your WASH budgetary allocations and effectively utilise the resources already provided by donors to rehabilitate broken-down facilities, rather than waiting for fresh funding to manage malfunctioning infrastructure,” Mallo said.

Represented by Kasim Alex Shuaibu, WaterAid’s business development officer, Mallo expressed optimism over the inaugural meeting of the group. She said the members resolved to meet monthly, while the steering committee would convene quarterly.

She added that with input from key stakeholders, including civil society organisations, religious leaders and the media, efforts to curb cholera outbreaks in Bauchi would be strengthened.

Earlier, the commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam, said the state government would adopt a preventive approach as the most effective strategy to control cholera outbreaks.

He explained that interventions would focus on nine thematic areas, including effective disease surveillance, sustained use of the oral cholera vaccine, leadership and coordination, risk communication and community engagement.

Dambam appealed to stakeholders to intensify public sensitisation through their platforms, warning that poor hygiene practices often fuel cholera outbreaks, particularly during the first quarter of the year when cases are typically high.