ISLAMABAD: A study titled: ‘Determining the Health Cost of Inadequate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Pakistan’, conducted by WaterAid and unveiled in Islamabad on Wednesday, revealed that households particularly lower-income group face a health cost of Rs116 billion because of inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene.

Led by Dr Abid Aman Burki from Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums), the study sheds light on the economic burden of illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea, and typhoid due to inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

Member of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) Professor Dr Meher Taj Roghani emphasised the urgency of addressing the nexus between health and WASH.

WaterAid Head of Programme Strategy and Policy Mohammad Fazal emphasised that recent research studies have highlighted that poor WASH was one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in Pakistan, which required all to take collective actions to ensure access to safe WASH for the better health and nutrition of the people of Pakistan.

WaterAid Pakistan Country Director Furqan Ahmed said, “Together, let us continue our collective efforts to prioritise WASH interventions from a health perspective and work towards achieving universal access to sustainable and safe WASH services in Pakistan.”

The panel discussion featured experts such as Ministry of Health Technical Consultant Dr. Masood Jogezai, WASH Manager Itsuro Takahashi, UNICEF Dr. Shahzeb Mirza, and SDPI Executive Director Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2024