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Session Type: Roundtable

Theme: 10. Healing Bodies: Medicine, Well-being, Sport

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Communicable Diseases in the Slum Areas

Monday, July 29, 2024
09:00 – 13:00 (GMT+7)
Location: ASEEC Tower, A9.04

Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is a human right. People need water for drinking and household activity. Poor WASH is related to various aspects, not only health but poverty, food security, education, etc. This could increase infection, diarrhea, child mortality and morbidity, contributing to undernutrition, stunting, and many more.
Population in the world is growing up so fast year by year. It is in line with the rapid gains and demand of access in WASH. Half of the world’s population still does not have adequate access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) which could have prevented at least 1.4 million deaths and 74 million disability-adjusted life years in 2019, according to the latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and an accompanying article published in The Lancet.
The area of the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) has different levels of practice and outcomes on WASH. The studies on the health impact of WASH from many countries like Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste are also inadequate in maintaining health. The report mentioned many diseases like gastroenteritis, stunting, and helminth infection among many people in the community (Behera D. K., et al, 2022). The source of drinking water and water quality needs to be assessed according to the recommendations of studies across the SEAR region. Two infectious diseases recently emerged, such as Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) and Escherichia coli contamination due to inadequate WASH practices (Behera D. K., et al, 2022).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in their publication about Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Africa 2000-2020: 5 Years into SDGs mentioned that 411 million people still lack even a basic drinking water service, 779 million lack basic sanitation services (including 208 million who still practice open defecation), and 839 million still lack basic hygiene services.
According to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 6 about clean water and sanitation, besides government, civil society, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and any other stakeholders need to work together to increase sustainability and integrity for both human and ecological systems. Safe water is the most basic human need for health and well-being. Therefore, we are issuing this event to
raise awareness and solutions to water, sanitation, and hygiene problems to improve quality of life. Almost one-third of the urban population lives in the slums, which are densely populated areas with poor housing and socio-economic conditions. This slum population most often lack the basic amenities required for urban life, putting them at risk of contracting and suffering from communicable as well as non-communicable diseases (Goli, et al, 2011).

Description of the Event
This is a round table discussion under the topic of “Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Communicable Diseases in the Slum Areas” organized by the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga. The main activities of this event are the sharing session and arrangement and declaration of “Airlangga WASH Declaration”.

Objectives of the Program
The objectives of holding this Round Table Discussion are as follows:
1. Forum for Non-Governmental Organizations and Academic Institutions to share about the urgency of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) problems and solving according to the prevention of Chronic Communicable Diseases.
2. Arrange and declare a declaration, “Airlangga WASH Declaration” to improve the awareness and dedication to solving water, sanitation, and hygiene problems to support SDG 6 about water and sanitation.