Submission ID 118526
| Issue/Objective | WASH-related diseases remain a challenge in the Philippines due to factors including gaps in access to safe drinking water, open defecation, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene practices, leading to continued cases of cholera, diarrhea, typhoid fever, hand-foot-mouth disease, intestinal worm infections, and others in both emergency and non-emergency settings. According to the World Bank in 2022 only 48% of the population had access to safely managed water services and 63% had access to safely managed sanitation. Frequent disasters lead to destruction of WASH infrastructure further increasing vulnerability to diseases. Disadvantaged groups including indigent communities, conflict-affected populations, urban poor, women and children, Indigenous peoples, elderly, and the disabled suffer disproportionately from lack of access to WASH. The presentation will provide insights from a multi-year WASH Development and Readiness project to improve access to WASH and reduce the risk of water-related disease. |
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| Methodology/Approach | Emergency response tools and program approach to delivering access to sustainable WASH were reviewed through document analysis and program implementer interviews. Content analysis methods were used to understand the process of implementation and outcomes of the program. The information was organized to understand the process, uses and outcomes of emergency tool utilization and support to sustainable WASH for vulnerable groups. |
| Results | In the emergency context the importance of maintaining readiness capacity to ensure that interventions are timely and efficient is of critical importance. Successful provision of WASH services in emergencies is strengthened through coordination with government authorities and ability to deploy emergency response tools across different jurisdictions. In the development context, vulnerable communities face a wide range of challenges in access to sustainable WASH including poverty, marginalization, technical and environmental challenges, as well as challenges related to urbanization, protection, and land tenure. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | PRC's emergency response capacity in WASH is an effective tool supporting access to WASH and reducing the risk of waterborne illness during emergencies. To support vulnerable communities with longer term access to WASH, context-specific support and solutions are required at the community level. Project implementation approaches should include strong community engagement, identification of potential technical partners, ensuring effective coordination with government authorities, and conducting pilot projects. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Natalie Jette Canadian Red Cross Natalie Jette Canadian Red Cross Jojo Monillas Philippine Red Cross Carlo Simonetti Canadian Red Cross Faiza Rab Canadian Red Cross Carla Taylor Canadian Red Cross |
