Sustainable Latrine Services for the Urban Poor in Ghana (SUSA)

project summary

Ghana is in the midst of rapid, unplanned urbanization fuelled by migration caused by declining rural agricultural productivity, lack of employment opportunities and effects of climate change. Close to 50% of Ghana’s 23 million residents currently live in urban environments, however, only 27% of urban residents have access to improved sanitation and only 13% are connected to sewerage facilities. The traditional approach to build sanitation facilities have not resulted in significant and sustained sanitation coverage, in particular for the urban poor. Urban latrine uptake is low because existing technologies are poorly designed, in poor condition, unsafe and cost prohibitive. Poor sanitation is the primary cause of diarrheal disease, which accounts for 9% of all deaths in Ghana and 3.1% of DALYs. Furthermore, Ghana’s urban sanitation sector is challenged by organizational and financial shortcomings. The research objective of SUSA-Ghana is to use a multidisciplinary demand-driven approach to build the needed local research capacity to identify existing barriers to and opportunities for improved sanitation, and to explore selected faecal management solutions that residents will use and maintain in poor urban settings. Research will address not only the technical/hygiene elements of sanitation, but also on the legal, political, social and financial aspects needed to create sustainable programs that reduce related morbidity and mortality. In addition, the research aims to identify relevant private partnerships to build, finance, promote and maintain hygienic latrine solutions and will provide a framework for research capacity building within sustainable sanitation in other developing countries.