Health impact of water supply and sanitation intervention in Meherpur pourashava

Abstract

A Dutch aided project, under the Netherlands-Bangladesh development Cooperation, has been in operation in Mehrpur pourashava since July 1994. This study present an assessment of the impacts of the on-going water supply, drainage & sanitation activities on the health situation of the pourapeople, investigation, into the present population coverage by project's components and some recommendations for the improvement of the project's components, which may improve the health situation of the people further. Though some rehabilitation and new construction works under water supply have been done under the project, Meherpur town is still facing with drinking water problem. Initially the project's objectives were to ensure 75% piped water to the poura-area and rest 25% by ground water through hand tube wells. Within these three years span of time the target has not been fulfilled . Piped water coverage has been achieved to 15.4% only. Moreover, the arsenic content of ground water (100 to 160 microgram per liter) is an emerging problem for which arsenic removal plant is going to be installed soon. With the arsenic treatment plant, an over head tank is also going to be installed. For total coverage by treated water, more production tube wells, over head tank, pipe lines etc. are essential. The investigation has been made on the present trend of drainage system of Meherpur town. The old drains have been rehabilitated and some new drains have been constructed with a view to evacuate all the waste water from the town but the town is still facing water logging problem. The total drainage system has been investigated to find out the ways of easy drain out of all rain I waste water from the poura area. The investigation has been made to assess the sanitation facilities within the poura-area. The projects target was to ensure proper sanitation facilities to the poura-people. Some low cost sanitary latrines were distributed within these three years time span of project but the area is still facing a big sanitation problems. Hygiene education is an integral part of the project and the target was to improve the total system by increasing people's awareness through hygiene education. Investigation has been made on incidences waterborne diseases in Meherpur town as an indicator to change in health situation. Inspite of poor water supply and sanitation coverage some improvement has been found through the study of secondary data available with the sadar hospital, Mother & Child welfare centre & thana health office (Pourashava section). Full implementation of all the project components and increase in the population coverage are expected to further improve the health situation in the Paura Area.