July 27, 2024, Saturday
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Water sanitation and hygiene: Path to health and prosperity

The Nepal Weekly
April 16, 2024

Water runs like an undulating thread throughout the intricate fabric of life on Earth, interconnecting to the well-being of the environment, societies, and economics. Regardless of the splendors of creation and the significant strides millions of people are bound up in a crisis linked with access to WASH (safe and clean water, adequate sanitation, and personal hygiene), as opposed to a shortcoming. It’s time to weave another tale, one in which WASH is key to our endeavors towards a future in which everybody embraces prosperity, health, and dignity.

Spring for Health: Clean, safe and fresh drinking water

Water’s quality is the foundation for life’s symphony. It is the life-sustaining substance, an indispensable yet severely exploited resource. More than two billion people globally have no access to proper clean water to drink, which is fundamental to our health and is our human right. Diseases like cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, and typhoid, which kill millions of people every year, mostly children, are often preceded by contaminated water. The advent of an era where safe drinking water is an imperative rather than an amenity is brought about by discoveries in water purification technology to collection precipitation, and sustainable water management techniques.

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Sanitation: Pillar of dignity

Sanitation, especially the proper disposal of human waste, is an indicator of human civilization.

But approximately 4.2 billion individuals lack access to adequate sanitation, which compromises their right to life and places them at threat of falling ill from polluted water. Girls are more severely impacted by inadequate sanitary facilities in schools, which prolongs chains of inequity and poverty by boosting absence and dropout rates. The route towards a society where all individuals have a right to personal and appropriate sanitation facilities is made apparent by modern sanitation systems like eco-friendly and user friendly toilets for specially-abled and vulnerable groups and community-led total sanitation (CLTS) programs. Such initiatives will pave the way for healthier, and equitable societies.

Hygiene: The breath of Prosperity

Hand washing with soap is one of the most basic sanitation routines that serves prevent the spread of hazardous infections. However, the majority of us do not have sufficient access to even the most basic hand washing facilities, which is a sobering representation of the disparities that prevail in our society. The development of resilient communities that can confront the challenges of pandemics and public health crises urges a key emphasis on promoting hygiene education and integrating hygiene practices into daily life.

Collaboration: Uniting for change

The pursuit of equal access to WASH is a collaborative endeavor that requires the participation of communities, NGOs, governments, and people. It requires diverse funding sources, rigid regulatory structures, and environmentally friendly technology that spares the fragile earth ecosystems. It is an initiative driven by a grasp that access to clean and safe water, sanitation, and proper hygiene isn’t merely a requisite but also the foundation for a world of access to opportunity, dignity, and well-being.

Investment: The Ripple effect

A monetary stake in WASH is an investment for entire society. It has been able to transform the financial system, with every dollar allocated to water and sanitation returning four dollars in

financial benefits. Overcoming poverty, enhancing the lives of women and girls, and developing resilient communities equipped to confront emerging threats to health and climate change head- on are conceivable results.

Ground-tasking: Call to action

The necessity for taking action becomes more essential than ever earlier, as we discover ourselves at a junction of opportunity and need. Encouraging WASH should be our first focus, not some far-off objective. Let us harness the spirit of invention, the tenacity of community, and the human race’s resilience to make access to sanitation, hygiene, and clean and safe drinking water a reality for all people on our planet. Through actions such as this, we ensure the future of our planet and generations to come alongside contributing to changing lives.

We can change the course together. Together, we are able to sure that there is an adequate supply of safe water, sanitation, and good hygiene, all of which support life itself.