South Asia Conference on Sanitation ( SACOSAN-IV)

Ichharam Dulal

Chief Engineer

Royal Government of Bhutan

Ministry of Health/MoWHS

OUTLINE

• COUNTRY BACK GROUND• INSTITUTIONAL SET UP• On-GOING PROGRAMME• KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN SANITATION • CHALLENGE • RECOMMENDATION• CONCLUSION

Bhutan - Location

India

China

Nepal

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Country Profile

Population = 0.634millioArea = 38,394 sq km

Administration; 20 districts

“Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product”

emphasis on balanced and holistic development approach towards achievement of material and non-material such as spiritual, emotional and cultural) needs of individual and society

Key facts & figures

• Capital Thimphu• Language Dzongkha

(official)• Major religion Buddhism• Agriculture 79%

rural• Revenue earning

hydropower• Life expectancy 66.1 years• Infant immunization 90 %• Literacy rate 59.5%

Ministry of Health

Department of Public Health

Public Health Engineering Division

(design sanitation promotion / hygiene

education strategies and implementation)

Basic Health Units

V i l l a g e s a n d H o u s e h o l d s

District H

ealth Sector

Institutional Arrangements

Ministry of Works & Human Settlement

Department of Urban Development and Engineering Services(design sanitation facilities & promotional materials /

hygiene education strategies and implementation)

District Engineering Cells

Municipal Corporations

Urban Residents

Institutional Set Up of Urban Sanitation Programme

Sanitation Coverage (rural)

On-going Programs

• Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (MoH)• Urban Water and Sanitation (MoWHS)• Comprehensive School Health ( MoE)

– Formulate school health policy– Training teachers, – Health promotional activities,– provides physical facilities

• Religion and Health project ( MoHCA & MoH)

Key Achievements-post sacosan III • Sanitation guideline has been developed• Pilot Ecosan has been completed

- in four blocks

- covered both rural communities as well as schools.

- constructed 80 units of ecosan toilet during pilot phase

Key Achievements-contd• Rural Sanitation and Hygiene

Programme (RSHP )- pilot project taken up in four district

• Improved latrine initiated in schools.

• Capacity building for construction of school latrines is in progress/ completed.

• RSHP project activities indicating progress status during pilot phase (detail in next slide)

Activity Status

1 Piloting of baseline study in four pilot blocks – 2 in east, 1 in west and 1 in central region

Completed

2 Fieldwork in pilot blocks to develop attractive, affordable and durable toilet designs for typical household settings

completed

3 Fieldwork in pilot blocks to test and develop community-led approaches for sanitation and hygiene behaviour change

completed

4 Initiated drafting of National Sanitation Policy, Guidelines and Legislation

Ongoing

5 Technical evaluation shall be carried out very soon Yet toBegin

6 Scaling up activities shall be carried out after the evaluation do

Rural Sanitation & Hygiene Programme (collaboration with SNV)

Key Achievements-contd

• Trained 32 district masons in construction of school latrines in 2009-2010 FY

• Trained 47 district masons in 2010-2011 FY

• Piloting of Water Safety Management Plan (WSP) in three districts completed in 2010

• Up scaling of WSP in 6 districts in progress (started on March 7, 2011)

• Hand book on Toilet technologies for Rural household in Bhutan (near Complete)

Road map from sacosan III• Country commitment Satisfactory

Promoted RSHP programmeContinuation of CDH workshopPromote sanitation technology choice optionsPiloted ecosan successfully in 4 distericts

• Enabling policies SatisfactoryRe-formulation of RWSS sector policy

• Monitoring & sustaining changesatisfactory

Implementation of CPMW and CDH workshop

• Financial satisfactoryGovernments commitment

• Effective and accountable institution satisfactoryClear line of actors

OBSERVED GLOBAL HAND WASHING DAY

• Observed the day in one of the school in Thimphu.

• Students are the good agent to pass the sanitation messages.

• To promote hygiene practices through

the event.

• Increase hand washing practices with soap

• Increase the frequency of bathing and laundering

World toilet day• Event to promote awareness

on importance of toilet- 19th November 2010

- inaugurated RSHP toilet constructed in eastern district to mark the event

- displayed sanitation fair giving different toilet options as part of the event

• Such event reminds of the need to have hygienic toilet

Challenges

• Leading causes for morbidity is still water/sanitation related illness.

• Appropriate technology –suitable for different Socio-economic and cultural situations

• Sustainability • Inadequate facilities• Inadequate awareness• Lack of adequate trained and

qualified persons. • Lack of adequate fund

Recommendations

• Enhanced Sanitation promotion activities and public awareness (media, observing special days like world water day, world hand washing day etc)

• Develop National Sanitation Policy.• Capacity building ( long term HRD programme)• Development of alternative/appropriate tech.• Develop specific programme like-CDH with

regular monitoring mechanism.• Training health workers and the local community

to ensure sustainability of basic sanitation facilities in rural areas.

Conclusions• The Bhutanese Delegation acknowledged the

hospitality extended to us and thank the Govt. of Sri Lanka for making SACOSAN IV a great success.

• Such forums are useful and provides platform for sharing experience/ good practices and review progress, enhanced networking and develop future road map.

• Bhutan fully supports the continuation of SACOSAN conference in the years to come to realize the dream of total sanitation in South Asia.

THANK YOU