The Ministry of Health is scaling up efforts to improve access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in communities across the country through its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programme.
Health Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu highlighted this in Parliament yesterday, saying the program aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 targets aimed at ensuring universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2030.
Dr Lalabalavu said the program focused on improving access to safe and affordable drinking water, promoting proper sanitation and hygiene, and improving water quality by reducing pollution and untreated wastewater.
He said the ministry was expanding its water safety, security and sanitation planning (WSSSP) initiative in rural and peri-urban communities where improvements were urgently needed. The initiative, developed from a framework by the World Health Organization, was being implemented with support from partners including UNICEF, the International Water Centre, Griffith University, the University of the South Pacific and the Department of Water and Sewerage.
Through community-based training, residents are guided to assess their water supply systems, sanitation facilities and hygiene stations, while identifying potential hazards and service gaps.
“They are then supported to develop community-based improvement plans to enhance access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene practices,” Dr Lalabalavu said.
He added that the ministry also provided targeted funding to help communities implement small but impactful improvements identified in their plans.
Dr Lalabalavu said strengthening community ownership, improving infrastructure and providing training would help reduce the risk of communicable diseases such as waterborne illnesses, typhoid, dengue and leptospirosis.
The program also prioritised areas of mass gathering, including schools, community halls, religious institutions and healthcare facilities, where safe water and sanitation services are essential to protect public health.
