USANewsOnline.Com, New York: “Globally, 78 percent healthcare facilities had a basic water service and 51 percent had basic hygiene service in 2021. Around10 percent of these facilities used by 780 million people had no sanitation service. Against this backdrop, we need more robust action than ever to ensure safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all in the healthcare facilities”-Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, M.P. said 24 March while speaking at the high-level event entitled “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Healthcare Facilities: Lesson Learned and the Way Forward” jointly organized by Hungary and Philippines at the United Nations Headquarters.
In his remarks, he highlighted the major achievements of Bangladesh under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in ensuring safe drinking-water, sanitation, and hygiene for all people of the country. Referring to the National Strategy for Water suply and Sanitation 2021, he said that in Bangladesh around 98 percent of our people have access to drinking water, more than 80 percent to improved sanitation facilities, nearly 75 percent to hand-washing facilities. Bangladesh pioneered the community led total sanitation approach for promoting sanitation, which is now recognized and replicated in many developing countries, he further added.
In light of Bangladesh’s successful experiences, Dr. Momen offered specific recommendations to check the lack of progress in water, sanitation, and hygiene service worldwide.
Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Republic of the Philippines and Irakli Karseladze, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia also spoke at the event. A significant number of diplomats, high officials of the UN and its various organizations, international NGOs working in the water sector and private stakeholders were present at the event.
Foreign Minister also attended a high-level side event entitled “Revitalizing Social Protection Policies for Creating More Accessibility to Drinking Water” jointly organized by Bangladesh Social Scientists Foundation together with BRAC, AOSED, BWOT, Jago Nari, GRAUS and SDA at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN in New York.
He also held a bilateral meeting with Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change of Malaysia and discussed issues of mutual interest.