BSS, Rajshahi :
Speakers at a participatory discussion here yesterday underscored the need for collective efforts for hundred percent expansion of hygiene for substantial and sustainable prevention of water-borne diseases which cause many premature deaths in the country every year.
They viewed hygiene awareness and knowledge of the links between poor hygiene and disease are lowest among the typically poorly-educated slum dwellers. Poor sanitation contributes to high levels of acute respiratory infections and diarrhea, which kill many children every year.
Besides, poor sanitation practices in both rural and urban areas are exacerbated by seasonal flooding which ruins many water sources and latrines and hampers efforts to build new ones.
The observations came at a divisional level advocacy workshop styled “National Hygiene Promotion Strategy for Water Supply and Sanitation Sector in Bangladesh 2012” held in Jafar Imam Tennis Complex in Rajshahi city.
Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner’s Office organized the workshop in association with Policy Support Unit and Wateraid Bangladesh.
The workshop discussed elaborately on how to establish social accountability for improving the provisions for basic services like water and sanitation to the division’s poor households.
More than 100 persons comprising government and non-government officials and other stakeholders from eight districts under Rajshahi division were present at the programme.
Commissioner of Rajshahi division Helaluddin Ahmed addressed the discussion as chief guest with Munir Hossain, additional commissioner, in the chair. The Chief Guest said the promotion of better hygiene alone or in combination with better water supply and sanitation can have a major impact on reducing disease prevalence and public and private health costs.
He added that capacity building for hygiene promotion shall not be a discrete function. It must be an integral part of the strategy for improving sector capacity to address problems related to water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion. Capacity building initiatives must involve relevant target-groups as well.
Managing Director of Rajshahi WASA Dhirendra Nath Sarker, Chief Executive Officer of Rajshahi City Corporation Ajahar Ali, Divisional Director of department of Family Planning SM Jahedul Karim, Director of Local Government Division Aminul Islam, Divisional Director of Department of Health Dr Hedayetul Islam and Programme Manager of Wateraid Bangladesh Sonjoy Mukherjee spoke as special guests.
Speakers at a participatory discussion here yesterday underscored the need for collective efforts for hundred percent expansion of hygiene for substantial and sustainable prevention of water-borne diseases which cause many premature deaths in the country every year.
They viewed hygiene awareness and knowledge of the links between poor hygiene and disease are lowest among the typically poorly-educated slum dwellers. Poor sanitation contributes to high levels of acute respiratory infections and diarrhea, which kill many children every year.
Besides, poor sanitation practices in both rural and urban areas are exacerbated by seasonal flooding which ruins many water sources and latrines and hampers efforts to build new ones.
The observations came at a divisional level advocacy workshop styled “National Hygiene Promotion Strategy for Water Supply and Sanitation Sector in Bangladesh 2012” held in Jafar Imam Tennis Complex in Rajshahi city.
Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner’s Office organized the workshop in association with Policy Support Unit and Wateraid Bangladesh.
The workshop discussed elaborately on how to establish social accountability for improving the provisions for basic services like water and sanitation to the division’s poor households.
More than 100 persons comprising government and non-government officials and other stakeholders from eight districts under Rajshahi division were present at the programme.
Commissioner of Rajshahi division Helaluddin Ahmed addressed the discussion as chief guest with Munir Hossain, additional commissioner, in the chair. The Chief Guest said the promotion of better hygiene alone or in combination with better water supply and sanitation can have a major impact on reducing disease prevalence and public and private health costs.
He added that capacity building for hygiene promotion shall not be a discrete function. It must be an integral part of the strategy for improving sector capacity to address problems related to water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion. Capacity building initiatives must involve relevant target-groups as well.
Managing Director of Rajshahi WASA Dhirendra Nath Sarker, Chief Executive Officer of Rajshahi City Corporation Ajahar Ali, Divisional Director of department of Family Planning SM Jahedul Karim, Director of Local Government Division Aminul Islam, Divisional Director of Department of Health Dr Hedayetul Islam and Programme Manager of Wateraid Bangladesh Sonjoy Mukherjee spoke as special guests.
