With the fear of Covid -19 third wave looming large, sanitation and hygiene issues have come to the fore on various platforms.
Efforts are being made to increase awareness and understanding the importance of handwashing with soap, which is an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
Nishtha, a health system strengthening project funded by USAID and implemented by Jhpiego, is supporting the Jharkhand State Government in leveraging the health and wellness centers platform under Ayushman Bharat for health promotion and prevention during health and wellness sessions, where communities are educated on the importance of healthy hygiene behaviors including hand washing.
Sangita Patel, director, health office, USAID/India, shares, “USAID is working with the Government of India and other partners to create awareness about water, sanitation and hygiene issues and generate demand among communities. We believe that access to safe drinking water and sanitation, along with adequate hygiene practices and the ability to effectively manage water resources, is a fundamental human right and can profoundly shape a nation’s path to stability, economic prosperity, and self-reliance.”
According to a 2019 NITI Aayog report, approximately 800 million people face high to extreme water stress in the country. The situation is more alarming in Jharkhand where access to safe tap water remains a privilege due to concerns over - steady supply, quality checks, testing, and real-time surveillance of consumer complaints, among other factors. In fact, according to the Sustainable Development Goals Index 2021, Jharkhand is one of the weakest performers where the prevalence of pneumococcal and diarrheal infections is common among children. Realizing the significance of handwashing, Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to “achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all” by 2030.
“Proper hand hygiene is the single most important, simplest, and least expensive means of reducing the prevalence of preventable infections and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The creation of a supportive handwashing environment cannot happen in isolation, nor can it be based on generic hand washing initiatives that are devoid of any local specifications. Thus, it is imperative to institutionalize hand hygiene as a fundamental component of health and safety and make handwashing an educational priority at all levels,” said an official.
