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Ecuador: Clean Water and Hygiene
Provinces of Pichincha and Santo Domingo of the Tsachilas
Background
The ministry for Public Health in Ecuador is the government boday responsible for the quality of drinking water in the country. In this capacity, it has identified a shortfall in coverage of water supply and sanitation in rural and urban outskirts in Ecuador. .
For this reason it has undertaken projects managed by Provincial Boards that are aimed at improving the quality of water consumed by the population.
The PPSD (Provincial Health Directors of Pichincha) is co-financing with the SODIS Foundation has undertaken several projects with the aim that those in vulnerable communities consume safe water. These projects included:
- In 2002 in Canton Pedro Moncayo, benefiting 400 families (Pilot Project)
- In 2004 in Canton La Concordia, benefiting 800 families.
- In 2009 the PPSD and DPSST (Provincial Health Directors of Santo Domingo of the Tsachilas) are running a mega project "Safe Water and Health" to benefit 15,000 families of the two provinces.
Location
The project is located northwest of the country Ecuador in the provinces of Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas.
In the Province of Pichincha, the Health Aarea Nº11 that consists of the towns of: Los Bancos, Pedro Vicente Maldonado, Puerto Quito, and the Health Area Nº 23 that consists of the township La Concordia.
In the Provinces of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Health Area Nº17 township Santo Domingo y el Health Area Nº 22 as well consisting of the township Santo Domingo.
Achievements
- The project has covered 16 operational units located within 4 health areas in the provinces of Pichincha and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas.
- It has covered 111 districts or campuses in different areas of health.
- In total, the information has reached 14,302 families, either through community meetings, students and teachers or direct home visits.
- It has assisted with the training within 85 schools attended by 9020 students and 476 teachers.
- It has completed 12,816 home visits to households of which roughly 50% of families are using SODIS technology.
- Most schools visited also practice SODIS.
- Of those who were trained initially, 40 health officials, mostly belonging to EBAS teams and 34 community promoters continued to work on the project
- Educational material prepared was distributed to project users.
