On 27 August 2015, ICTC and WHO will be jointly convening a critical discussion on WASH and neglected tropical diseases at Stockholm World Water Week, the leading annual meeting place for some of the most influential actors in water and development.
Stockholm World Water Week attendees include a wide ranges of actors from business, academia, government, UN body and civil society. This year, it is celebrating it 25th anniversary and linking into the forthcoming launch of the new sustainable development goals with the theme Water for development.
The joint ICTC and WHO session, called WASH and NTDs – tackling inequalities together will explore the opportunities and challenges of better linking WASH and NTDs policies and programming. It will look at the development of common indicators supporting integration of WASH and NTDs programs and review practical country case studies on where this is taking place. The session aims to highlight the role of WASH in the prevention and management of NTDs, present a strategy for strengthening links between WASH and NTDs and discuss examples of inter-sectoral collaboration such as the use of joint indicators.
NTDs affect over one billion of the poorest people in the world many of who are the same people most likely to lack access to safe water and sanitation. Control and elimination of NTDs relies heavily on treatment with pharmaceuticals. Yet, improvements to WASH as a basic measure to prevent infection or ameliorate its effects are essential to eliminate and sustainably control nearly all of these diseases. An opportunity exists to improve equity outcomes of WASH programmes by accelerating efforts to control and eliminate NTDs.
Joint WASH and NTD programming is likely to be more cost-effective and have a more sustainable impact than either programme acting in isolation. Sharing common indicators is one practical approach that can foster inter-sectoral collaboration, encourage better targeting of WASH and NTD resources; and promote assessment of performance in terms of both equity and effectiveness.
Presentations will include:
- WASH and NTD linkages
- A global strategy on WASH for accelerating progress on NTDs
- WASH and trachoma control efforts in Ethiopia
- Supporting collaboration on WASH and NTDs
- When? Thursday 27 August 2015, 11:00-12:30,
- Where? NL Music Hall, Stockholm World Water Week
Please spread the word of this important discussion with your contacts and follow @trachomacontrol on Twitter for live updates from the conference and the session.
Contact the ICTC Project Coordinator further information.