Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

However that is set to change following the launch of a new toilet and water project recently.

The project was made possible with funding from Japan through the United Nation’s International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and Anis Foundation.

Nawaeb District Administrator Buds Botikie acknowledged this support.

This work also included targeted training for members of the South Fly District WASH Committee. Through strengthening their site selection and procurement processes, as well as information and data collection skills, the District WASH Committee continues to enable the implementation of the five-year district WASH plan, alongside the delivery of WASH infrastructure. 

This is a result of three recently commissioned water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities constructed by WaterAid PNG and local contractors with funding support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and commissioned during the recent World Water Day on March 22^nd. 

The initiative is by WaterAid PNG’s Water for Women Consortium (WfWC) project in partnership with Motukoita Assembly (MKA) and Water PNG.

Staff from WaterAid PNG and MKA visited Pari village this week to identify and assess possible sites to install pre-fabricated water kiosks.

WaterAid Senior Technical WASH Officer, Shirlee Dindillo-Rovou said the visit was to carry out initial feasibility inspection on potential water kiosks sites identified by MKA.

“Information such as land ownership, accessibility & site suitability was collected during this exercise.

Ask any health staff working in remote parts of Papua New Guinea what might happen if we could improve water, sanitation and hygiene in communities. 

That is the message behind OSF’s new information brochure on the many health benefits of safe water, proper toilets and improved hygiene. 

The training is being provided to local officials and data collectors by WaterAid to enable them to conduct a survey on current access to water and sanitation in Wewak District and to provide a baseline to guide planning for public services.

The data will be used to draft a five year district WaSH plan, which the District Development Authority (DDA) aims to launch by Easter next year.

A National Consultation Workshop on the Draft Bill to establish the Authority was held on July 30^th to gauge views from stakeholders.

Minister for National Planning & Monitoring, Richard Maru, opened the workshop.

In his keynote address, Minister Maru said the country’s WaSH Policy had been in existence since 2015 but had not been implemented.

He said the most important and relevant decision on the agenda is the establishment of the NWSHA.

Wando said this during a recent Healthy Island Concept training in Mampim Village in Markham District of Morobe Province. About 90 villagers attended the three-day training including four teachers from the local elementary school.