'Public-private efforts a must to achieve target'
Speakers at a sanitation fair yesterday sought for public-private efforts to reach the goal in attaining 100 percent total sanitation by 2010 in the country.
They term the natural calamities and diverse topography the main barriers to achieving the target.
The speakers said this at the opening ceremony of the three-day water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) fair at a beach hotel of the tourist city.
The fair, first of its kind in Bangladesh and 2nd in the world, has been organised to disseminate the best practices and share ideas, products and services in the field of WASH.
The local government division, United Nations Economic and Scientific Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the Philippines-based Streams Resource Foundation and NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation jointly organised the fair.
A number of participants from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, The Philippines, Kenya, Senegal, Gambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and host Bangladesh are sharing knowledge in this fair.
Speaking as the chief guest, Local Government Division Secretary Sheikh Khurshid Alam said, “Natural calamities like floods and cyclones along with varied topography of the country are being emerged as main barriers to achieving sanitation target across the country.”
Team leader of Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) of World Bank Glenn Pearce-Oroz spoke on the occasion as the special guest, while Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Monjurul Alam Bhuiyan was in the chair.
Streams Foundation Executive Secretary Rory Villaluna and NGO Forum Executive Director SMA Rashid and Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council Programme Officer Carolien van der Voorden also spoke.
The secretary said the country has attained 88 percent sanitation coverage in 2008 from merely a 33 percent in 2003, adding that the achievement is a major success of the government and its partner agencies, but last year's devastating flood and cyclone Sidr have overturned the progress in many areas.
Besides, the country has a variation in topography which comprises flat, hilly and marshy lands, a combination that has put programme implementers to follow different technologies and methods to ensure the sanitation coverage, he said, adding that steps have been taken to overcome such barriers.
WaterAid, a British NGO, at a recent press conference in Dhaka said the real sanitation coverage, which not only includes sanitary latrines but also encompasses personal hygiene practice including hand washing and safe water supply, could hardly reach 38 percent, a claim immediately denied by the government.
Asked about the validity of the NGO's claim, the government official said the perception of the both sides were different.
“They have their own indicators and the government has its own yardsticks to assess,” he said, adding that some NGOs talk about European-style 'total sanitation', which is difficult to afford in Bangladesh under the present socio-economic condition.
He, however, said the government's next target is to improve the quality of sanitation and ensure its sustenance after achieving the first phase of 100 percent sanitation by 2010.
The present national campaign mainly focuses on open defecation, hand washing and locally developed ring-well latrines at every household. One of the main objectives of the sanitation campaign is to reduce diarrhea-related child mortality which is still high in the country.
Glenn endorsed that many things have been done in the water sanitation field, but it needs further attention for the improvement of quality of service.
He underscored the need for devising new programmes and fine-tuning of the existing ones to make substantial development in the campaign.
“We need immediate action to move forward. And also we need collective efforts,” said the Chilean WSP expert, who suggested for looking into sanitation horizontally, an approach which sees issues from a multicultural outlook.
The fair, which also holds a series of technical sessions, will discuss issues on addressing environmental vulnerability through integrated water resources management, policy practice and advocacy for sustainable sanitation, waste water management, sanitation entrepreneurship, community participation in sanitary solutions, safety net for ensuring water quality and knowledge management for WASH.
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