WASH Cluster Meeting Minutes August 2013

Venue: UNICEF Safari Room

Date: 30 August 2013

Chair: Ajay Paul

UPDATES

1.0 Epidemiological update

 The update was based on the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare’s EPI Report Week 33  4 diarrhoea deaths, 7 malaria deaths, and 2 dysentery deaths have been reported for week 33.  The reported cases of diarrhoea for week 33 were 7 182 and of these cases, 4 004 (55.8%) and 3 deaths were from the under five years of age.  More diarrhoea cases are usually experienced in winter due to the rota virus.  There are still some sporadic cases of typhoid being reported on in Sanyati district, Mashonaland West but there has been no death.  Cumulative figures for cases are now being reported starting at the beginning of each year.  National completeness and timeliness reported for week 33 decreased from 87% to 83% respectively.  With the national completeness in reporting, the ministry expects an increase in case fatality rate as we also improve on the reporting since almost all areas would now be covered.

2.0 Rural WASH Program Update: National Co-ordination Unit (NCU)

 Sensitisation and Planning meetings done for 31/33 districts. Baseline survey for the RWP kick starting soon-training of enumerators to start week beginning 02 Sept 2013.

 Sanitation Focused PHHE (SaFPHHE) held for districts of Gutu, Masvingo and Mwenezi. SaFPHHE for the all the Mat South, Mat North and Midlands districts scheduled for week beginning 2-13 September and the remaining districts of Masvingo and Mwenezi scheduled for week 23-27 Sept 2013.

 The NAC in 2011 finalised the ‘National Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy: Accelerating Access to Sanitation and Hygiene, July 2011-June 2015’; whose Main foci is on eliminating open defaecation, increasing sanitation coverage and implementing & sustaining positive hygiene behaviours. Amongst the eleven strategic outputs enshrined in this strategy are the rejuvenation of local research & development in sanitation and hygiene, stimulating behaviour change and rolling out large scale health and hygiene education.  The ZimCATS pilot project in Binga and funded by AusAid, piloted the hardware component of the uBVIP and the software component, Community Approaches to Total Sanitation,

 The NAC Rural wanted to evaluate both the approach (CATS) and the technology (the uBVIP) in the two ZimCATS project districts of Binga and Hwange. This exercise was meant to get scientific evidence on the approach and technology so that they can be scaled up countrywide under the different projects being implemented by Government and development partners.

 The main objective is to evaluate the approach (CATS) and the technology (uBVIP) of the ZimCATS project implemented in Hwange and Binga.

 Specific objectives include assessing the appropriateness and sustainability of CATS approaches, assessing the appropriateness and sustainability of the uBVIP technology as a sanitation option in , determining the extent to which CATS can be used to increase national sanitation coverage, determining the extent to which CATS approaches can influence and sustain positive hygiene behaviours including elimination of open defaecation and determining lessons learnt and identify best practices that can be used for scaling up CATS

 Final report due 1st week of September and recommendations to be tabled in NAC Rural

3.0 Emergency Urban Rehabilitation Update

 WVI has developed a methodology and training package for Customer Care training for Local Authorities’ managers and staff and has applied it in , Plumtree and Chiredzi. WVI is now evaluating the effectiveness of such trainings over revenue collection both in small and big towns.

 ZESA -Total electricity available is 1606 MW of a forecast of 1670 MW leaving a shortfall of 64 MW. The load shedding experienced last week was due to maintenance works in Mozambique where some of the power is imported from. Implementation of pre-paid meters is on-going.

 15 out of 37 dams have more than 21 months of supply left. Others require some action to address risk of water shortage such as reducing demand, rationing, adding another source, etc. Bulawayo, and are in critical situation with less 5 months’ supply left.

 ZINWA was requested to provide more information on other sources besides dams. They will present on the situation of integrated water resources at the next urban rehabilitation group meeting.

 UNICEF-Urban WASH rehabilitation in six towns of , Karoi, , , Shurugwi and Plumtree. Consultant firm is currently out in the field doing detailed assessments. Rehabilitation works is on-going in the 6 towns. Implementing partners will be conducting end of project survey/evaluations in 7 towns between August and September 2013.  Urgent Water Supply and Sanitation Rehabilitation Project (UWSSRP) is on-going with some projects being awarded and others in tendering process. Most of the works and supply of equipment are to be substantially completed by the end of the year or the beginning of 2014.

 Emergency Power Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (EPIRP): Three out of the six packages were awarded. Works are expected to be completed by the end of the year and the beginning of 2014, except for the Hwange Power Station Ash Plant, which is being delayed by its technical complexity.  Concern was raised on the situation of local authorities and the impact of the cancellation of debts over their budget. The cancellation will impact negatively on the ability of local authorities and ZINWA to procure water treatment chemicals. UCAZ is preparing a paper to document the situation and use it for advocacy and discussion with Government. Draft will be shared with urban rehabilitation partners for comments and inputs. UCAZ will share with urban rehabilitation partners and cluster coordinator information on the current situation in terms of water treatment chemical availability.  It was suggested that the cluster should be able to come up with a structured approach (terms of reference) and produce a more technical paper. It was also noted that at the moment (before the appointment of a new cabinet), there is nothing much that can be done, however, the cluster can start preparing so that when the cabinet is in place the relevant ministries can then be approached.  The responsibility of WASH Cluster is preparedness and contingency and as for the response activities, government should be in a position to provide.

4.0 Provincial Monthly updates to the cluster/sector

 As part of the transition, the PWSSC provincial chairs will be attending the WASH Cluster meetings providing monthly updates of WASH activities in their provinces. Provinces will be compiling a consolidated report of both emergency and developmental WASH activities for the districts. These reports will then be forwarded to the NAC which is responsible for producing a consolidated report for the whole country.  WASH cluster will be able to share more information on the transition by the end of September when the Mid-Year Review report is published. Currently there are on- going consultations with WASH stakeholders’ regarding the roles they will be playing after the transition phase but all the cluster members are expected to continue supporting the cluster. There is a possibility of continued support from some of the current donors but gaps are unavoidable.  Handover of WASH cluster to sector ministry should be include documentation on what worked, what has not worked.  There is a need to come up with a clear timeline for the transition up to the end of the year. Government is going to provide insight and appropriate sector will lead the cluster. This, however, shouldn’t take away the responsibility of the WASH partners since their continuous support is greatly needed. 

5.0 Presentations

Lessons learned ZimCATS (TBC)

 The evaluation is still in progress. The lessons learned will be shared during the next WASH cluster meeting

Waterguard –The future (PSI)

 The objective is “To develop a business model that ensures the self-sustaining and cost-effective production, distribution and marketing of WaterGuard (WG) as the preferred low cost, point of use water treatment product for both rural and urban markets of Zimbabwe from September 2013 onwards.” or “A plan for how WG could stand on its own feet with no donor support”  PSI/Zimbabwe has socially marketed WaterGuard, a sodium hypochlorite solution for point-of-use water chlorination in Zimbabwe since 2010.  The product became important in the wake of the severe cholera outbreak in the years 2008-2009 and subsequent increased frequency of occurrences of both common diarrhoea and typhoid outbreaks  OFDA funding ending in September 2013,  Production of waterguard is at full cost recovery  The distribution and marketing is still with PSI  A business plan was developed by PSI in order to achieve the goal of full sustainability of Waterguard by 2015  PSI/Zimbabwe intends to enter into a licencing agreement with Nelspot in which PSI/Zimbabwe maintains ownership of the brand, monitors its quality and continue to provide linkages between the private sector and the NGO sector. Nelspot will, under licence, take over the production, distribution and eventually, marketing of WaterGuard.  PSI is seeking additional funding to continue to manage the brand marketing for a period of 2 years and to explore, in addition to mass media, new and innovative community based marketing through non-traditional outlets.

6.0 Any other Business

 It was noted that there are no pump minder tools for the hand pumps. The caretakers’ spanner should be part and parcel of the hand pump and should be included in the unit cost of the hand pump. The new standards of the hand pump require that a sieve is fitted inside the outlet.

7.0 DATE AND VENUE OF THE NEXT MEETING

27th of September 2013 at UNICEF Children’s Room