Engineers Without Borders USA has embarked on a pilot project to optimize water systems and provide reliable water to 10 health centers in Malawi that have no running water onsite. In partnership with local NGO, Freshwater Project International, we will repair the broken system, upgrade the system for optimization, and conduct maintenance training. This project will provide clinics with onsite access to the water they need to properly and efficiently care for patients.
Lack of access to water at health facilities negatively impacts the health of all patients utilizing the facilities and the capacity of the medical staff. Wells and pumps that were previously constructed for these health centers were inadequately designed, and many broke a few days after installation. This has left nurses and patients, including expectant mothers, to walk long distances to fetch water. This project will affect an estimated 370,000 Malawians that access the 10 clinics each year.
By providing technical expertise and project management tools to assess, repair, upgrade and optimize the water systems at health centers in Malawi, our efforts will provide direct water access to patients and staff at the facilities. In collaboration with the Malawian Ministry of Health, District Health Officers, health care facility administrators and community health advisory committees, we will work together on implementation, training, and monitoring and evaluation of the upgraded system.
This project will provide 300,000+ community members with reliable water access at the facilities they seek medical support. With proper maintenance, monitoring and evaluation of the optimized water systems, access to clean water at the health facilities will be sustained for many decades to come. The long-term impact on the health of new mothers, infants, children and other patients from the catchment area will be greatly improved as disease and infection rates related to contaminated water.
