Improved sanitation key to cutting mother, child deaths

The risk of disease and death of mothers and infants can be reduced by up to 25 per cent if the country's health service providers ensure improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) related practices, said experts on Wednesday, reports UNB.

Specific policy guideline is essential to upgrade the WASH system in the healthcare facilities which will help Bangladesh to achieve the sustainable development goal (SDG) targets for reducing maternal and newborn deaths, they added. Experts came up with the views at a national workshop on “WASH in Healthcare Facilities: Call for Joint Action” at a city hotel in the capital organised by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in association with World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh), Plan International, CARE Bangladesh and Water Aid.

Some critical findings were also revealed in the workshop which described that 36 per cent toilet of patients/caregivers in Bangladesh are not clean and cannot prevent infection while 59 per cent urban hospitals have no specific disposal method of clinical waste. Some 92 per cent of hospitals reported to have water supply but safety is a challenge as water quality is not tested.

In community clinics only 29 per cent of hand pumps with provision of drinking water are functional while only 15 per cent of water in community clinic is tested for arsenic.

Addressing the workshop Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim said, “It is right time to reflect on quality of services at each health clinics and hospitals of Bangladesh.”

Emphasizing the development of national strategy and joint action plan, the minister also said, “We need to review our available protocol, guidelines, provisions and work towards quality WASH services in health care settings so that we all benefit from dignified health care services”.

Emphasizing the importance of WASH in healthcare facilities Health and Family Welfare secretary Serajul Huq Khan said, “Various WASH related studies have shown that 44per cent of deaths can be avoided if mothers wash their hand before handling newborns.

Prof Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Director General DGHS said, “Lack of WASH provision in healthcare facilities increase the risk of healthcare acquired infections and undermine national and global efforts to improve maternal, neonatal and child health”. Dr Boluwaji Onabolu of UNICEF presented the global situation and emphasized the contribution of WASH in HCF to health care uptake and infection prevention.

Nasreen Akhter, Additional Secretary, MoLGRD; Dr Kazi Mostafa Sarwar, DG, DGFP; M Rashidul Huque, Chief Engineer, DPHE; Edouard Beigbeder, Country Representative, UNICEF and Lionel Lafont, Country Representative, Tdh also spoke in the workshop.

 

Improved sanitation key to cutting mother, child deaths

The risk of disease and death of mothers and infants can be reduced by up to 25 per cent if the countrys health service providers ensure improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) related practices, said experts on Wednesday, reports UNB. Specific policy guideline is essential to upgrade the WASH system in the healthcare facilities which will help Bangladesh to achieve the sustainable development goal (SDG) targets for reducing maternal and newborn deaths, they added. Experts came up with the views at a national workshop on WASH in Healthcare Facilities: Call for Joint Action at a city hotel in the capital organised by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in association with World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh), Plan International, CARE Bangladesh and Water Aid. Some critical findings were also revealed in the workshop which described that 36 per cent toilet of patients/caregivers in Bangladesh are not clean and cannot prevent infection while 59 per cent urban hospitals have no specific disposal method of clinical waste. Some 92 per cent of hospitals reported to have water supply but safety is a challenge as water quality is not tested. In community clinics only 29 per cent of hand pumps with provision of drinking water are functional while only 15 per cent of water in community clinic is tested for arsenic. Addressing the workshop Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim said, It is right time to reflect on quality of services at each health clinics and hospitals of Bangladesh. Emphasizing the development of national strategy and joint action plan, the minister also said, We need to review our available protocol, guidelines, provisions and work towards quality WASH services in health care settings so that we all benefit from dignified health care services. Emphasizing the importance of WASH in healthcare facilities Health and Family Welfare secretary Serajul Huq Khan said, Various WASH related studies have shown that 44per cent of deaths can be avoided if mothers wash their hand before handling newborns. Prof Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Director General DGHS said, Lack of WASH provision in healthcare facilities increase the risk of healthcare acquired infections and undermine national and global efforts to improve maternal, neonatal and child health. Dr Boluwaji Onabolu of UNICEF presented the global situation and emphasized the contribution of WASH in HCF to health care uptake and infection prevention. Nasreen Akhter, Additional Secretary, MoLGRD; Dr Kazi Mostafa Sarwar, DG, DGFP; M Rashidul Huque, Chief Engineer, DPHE; Edouard Beigbeder, Country Representative, UNICEF and Lionel Lafont, Country Representative, Tdh also spoke in the workshop.