Clean drinking water is a basic human right, but unfortunately, millions of Pakistanis lack access to it. According to UNICEF, more than 10 million people, including children, still lack access to safe drinking water in the flood-affected areas, and 53,000 Pakistani children under five die annually from diarrhoea due to poor water and sanitation. The country’s poor water quality leads to water-borne diseases, causing 16% of child deaths. Furthermore, the effects of climate change and rapid urbanisation also contribute to challenges of improving access to safe water and sanitation.
To address this issue, various strategies have been proposed and implemented by federal, provincial and local governments, as well as UNICEF and other partners. Pakistan is a federation & powers are exclusively distributed between federation & provinces after the promulgation of 18th amendment. Hence, provision of clean water is the responsibility of the provincial government and it should be executed by a functional local government system.
Pakistan’s Approach to Total Sanitation PATS is a community-led approach that aims to end open defecation by 2025 by mobilising communities to build and use toilets, and adopt hygienic behaviours. Then, improving Quality of Water involves supporting the government with frameworks to plan, prioritise, and budget for safe water services, as well as providing water quality testing kits, water purification tablets, and water filters to households and communities.
WASH in schools and Health Facilities entail providing students and patients with adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, as well as promoting healthy habits such as hand washing and menstrual hygiene management among girls and women.
WASH in Emergencies include working with the government’s disaster management authorities to assist communities in preparing and coping with the effects of disasters on WASH facilities, such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, and conflicts.
These strategies are expected to improve the access to clean drinking water for millions of Pakistanis across all provinces, and reduce the burden of disease and malnutrition among children. However, they also require sustained funding, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation to ensure their effectiveness and sustainability. Lastly, Pakistanis must understand the significance of water & use it according to water usage plans. The state & communities should create awareness in this regard.
