Access to water, sanitation and hygiene services continues to be a challenge for Papua New Guinea.
According to the European Union, whilst 40% of Papua New Guineans in rural areas have access to water, only 20% have access to proper sanitation and hygiene services.
In an effort to improve access to Water, Sanitation & Hygiene services, the European Union has partnered with UNICEF to roll out the WASH program in schools and health centres throughout Papua New Guinea, over the next five years.
The MoU to commence funding for this WASH program was signed in Port Moresby today between the EU and UNICEF.
Head of the EU Delegation, Ioannis Giogkarakis-Agryopolous, was optimistic that this intervention would go a long way in improving access to proper water, sanitation and hygiene service, especially in rural PNG.
The signing was witnessed by National Planning Minister, Richard Maru, who challenged participants in this program to increase the scope of the WASH Program to that beyond only schools and health centres – He specifically called for the program to be extended to villages.
“…children come from a village – you must run a parallel program where you are also improving water and sanitation for village communities…”
