National inception of ‘WASH Systems for Health’ project
WaterAid-SNV consortium, funded by UK International Development launches a new project "WASH Systems for Health" at an inception event on 26 October 2024, at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka. This event convened prominent representatives from Bangladesh’s health and sanitation sectors, marking a unified effort to address critical water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) challenges nationwide.
The event was graced by Engr Tushar Mohon Shadhu Khan, Chief Engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), as the chief guest. Special guests included Dr Md Khairul Islam, Regional Director - South Asia, WaterAid; Ms Hasin Jahan, Country Director, WaterAid Bangladesh; Mr Rashid Zaman, Health Portfolio Lead, British High Commission (BHC), Dhaka; Mr Swe Min Zaw, Deputy Secretary, Policy Support Branch of Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives; Dr Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, Director General (In-Charge), Bangladesh National Nutrition Council Office, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; Dr Md Zainal Abedin Tito, Line Director, Hospital Services Management, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; and Mr Shahidul Islam, Sector Leader - Water, SNV. Officials from local municipalities, administration, several I/NGOs, development partners, private sector actors were also present at the event.
The WASH systems for Health project aims to overcoming sectoral challenges of WASH services and strengthening local governance. It seeks to foster government-led planning, implementation and monitoring of WASH service delivery, while ensuring community involvement, particularly through women’s leadership in both rural and urban settings. By focusing on resilient infrastructure and sustainable service models, the project aims to improve water supply and sanitation accessibility in climate-vulnerable communities of Paikgacha and Lalmonirhat, contributing to the reduction of preventable health issues associated WASH conditions.
In the opening address of inception event, Chief Engineer of DPHE, Engr Tushar Mohon Shadhu Khan highlighted the importance of establishing robust healthcare systems at the sub-district level, noting infrastructure and behavioural challenges that affect community health. He underscored the importance of sustainability, advocating for sustainable infrastructure projects that guarantee durability and promote positive WASH behaviours.
Dr Md Khairul Islam from WaterAid stressed the criticality of integrating WASH within health service frameworks, especially in rural healthcare facilities. Representing the UK’s commitment to public health in Bangladesh, Mr Rashid Zaman from BHC reflected on recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and severe floods, highlighting the importance of sustainable WASH and health initiatives. He called for ongoing collaboration and scaling of WASH projects based on these experiences. Dr Md Zainal Abedin Tito from DGHS discussed the broader impact of safe sanitation, noting that it encompasses more than infrastructure by including waste management and community education. He highlighted that promoting safe water and sanitation practices would reduce disease transmission and improve community health.
Mr Md Mahbubur Rahman, Administrator of Lalmonirhat Municipality, highlighted several challenges in the municipality’s WASH efforts such as the impact of inefficient WASH services and weaknesses in budgeting and planning, with limited capacity to allocate resources effectively or make infrastructure functional. Md Rahman stressed the need to involve youth volunteers in local initiatives and strengthen the municipality’s research capacity. Additionally, Ms Hasin Jahan, Country Director of WaterAid Bangladesh, expressed the organisation’s commitment to advancing city-wide inclusive sanitation, gender equality, and climate resilience to promote universal WASH access. She conveyed that this project represents a significant step toward aligning WASH with health outcomes, helping to reduce health costs and improve community well-being.
Audience engaged in open discussion in the event and asked questions like what criteria were selected in order to determine the specific working locations of the project, opportunities to engage private sector in the interventions, scope of using national research data and learnings from strategies to implement through the projects.
The WASH Systems for Health project is set to positively impact health outcomes for mothers, children, and infants, aligning with national health goals to reduce preventable health issues linked to poor WASH conditions by targeting climate-vulnerable regions and promoting sustainable WASH practices.
