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For years, however, interruptions in the hospital’s water supply, inadequate sanitation and handwashing facilities, and weaknesses in healthcare-waste management made it difficult for healthcare workers to consistently maintain appropriate infection prevention and control standards.
To address these priority gaps, the World Health Organization (WHO Ethiopia), with financial support from the Government of Japan, invested approximately USD 42,000 to improve Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) systems at the hospital.
The support focused on practical infrastructure improvements that directly affect the safety and dignity of healthcare workers, patients and caregivers.
Two staff toilet blocks were rehabilitated, providing hospital personnel with safe and functional sanitation facilities. Damaged water pipelines across the hospital compound were repaired, helping improve the reliability of water services in key clinical and patient-care areas.
New handwashing facilities were installed, and existing sanitation facilities were improved to support better hand hygiene and reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections.
Healthcare-waste management was another priority. The hospital’s existing incinerator was rehabilitated, and a new ash pit was constructed to support the safer treatment and disposal of infectious healthcare waste in accordance with IPC standards.
Together, these improvements are enabling healthcare workers to maintain a cleaner and safer environment while strengthening the hospital’s readiness to manage infectious-disease risks.
One of the most visible improvements is a newly constructed laundry facility with eight washing compartments, conveniently located near the patient wards.
The facility provides caregivers—many of whom remain at the hospital for several days while supporting hospitalized relatives—with access to clean water and a safe, dedicated place to wash clothing and bedding.
Ms Erkoki at Moyale Hospital
Near the new facility, an elderly grandmother carefully washes clothes while caring for her hospitalized grand child. Previously, caregivers often struggled to find an appropriate place to wash essential items during their stay at the hospital.
Her experience demonstrates that investments in IPC and WASH do more than improve infrastructure. They also create a safer, cleaner and more dignified environment for patients and the family members who care for them.
Strengthening preparedness at a critical border facility
During the handover ceremony, Innocent Komakech, WHO Hub Coordinator, representing WHO Ethiopia Representative, emphasized that access to clean water, sanitation, hand hygiene and safe healthcare-waste management is fundamental to quality healthcare as well as safety of the health care workers, care givers and the community.
These measures are among the most effective ways to reduce healthcare-associated infections, protect healthcare workers and patients, and strengthen health facilities’ preparedness for disease outbreaks and other public-health emergencies.
Moyale Hospital Medical Director Dr Girma Hussen welcomed the improvements, noting that water interruptions, inadequate sanitation and healthcare-waste-disposal challenges had affected patient care and staff safety for several years.
He thanked WHO and the Government of Japan for addressing priority infrastructure gaps and highlighted the need for continued investment in the hospital’s isolation capacity and preparedness for emerging infectious-disease threats.
Representatives of the Oromia Regional Health Bureau and local authorities also recognized the commitment of the hospital’s leadership and staff to improving healthcare quality despite longstanding infrastructure challenges.
For Moyale Hospital, the completed work represents more than an infrastructure upgrade. It is an investment in safer healthcare, improved working conditions, stronger infection prevention and greater dignity for patients and caregivers.
As Moyale continues to serve communities along the Ethiopia–Kenya border, the strengthened IPC and WASH systems will help reduce infection risks and improve the hospital’s capacity to prevent and respond to public-health threats.
Through financial support from the Government of Japan under the JSB Fund, WHO continues to work with the Government of Ethiopia and regional and local health authorities to strengthen health systems, improve quality of care and build resilient healthcare facilities capable of preventing, detecting and responding to public-health emergencies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
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