Low income community specially waste and sanitation workers are exposed to higher risks of injury, infection and mortality.  These risks are amplified by the lack of access and affordability of quality healthcare services by them. In event of debilitating illnesses and deaths of waste and sanitation workers, who are often the main earner, leave their families to face the challenge of income loss and economic shock. 

WaterAid, in partnership with Waadaa. Insure, an insurance brokerage, co-created the Shasthya Nirapotta Scheme (SNS) insurance package for low income community specially for the waste and sanitation workers and their families. It works to make healthcare more affordable and to lessen financial shock due to deaths.

Benefits

Annual premium subscription of BDT 199 enable upto 45% discount in 250+ listed hospitals and BDT 30,000 coverage upon death of policy holder.  Discounts cover out-patient department (OPD), in-patient department (IPD), drugs, and diagnosis services.

Impact in numbers

17,851

families covered under the SNS scheme as of March 2024

sanitation worker delwar
Image: WaterAid/ DRIK/ Habibul Haque

9,000+

waste and sanitation workers among the SNS scheme distributed in six months of deployment

Image: WaterAid/ DRIK/ Habibul Haque

810,000BDT

was received by 27 families as settlement for death claims as of March 2024

Image: WaterAid/ DRIK/ Habibul Haque

Improving social protection for sanitation workers

Sanitation workers are crucial for maintaining clean environments and safeguarding public health. This study in Bangladesh highlights the barriers sanitation workers encounter and offers practical recommendations to address these challenges.

Image: WaterAid/ DRIK/ Habibul Haque

Related publications