Despite the economic benefits that can derived from improved access to clean water and sanitation, all countries in South Asia except Maldives and Sri Lanka are off-track in achieving the sanitation related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), WaterAid said.
According to WaterAid, an organization that initiate programs to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities, of the total 1,595 billion people in South Asia, over 1,027 do not use improved sanitation. Over 716 million people practice open defecation and are exposed to several health risks.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), every US dollar invested in to improve water and sanitation, the countries can earn economic returns worth of US $ nine by reducing illnesses and death caused due to poor sanitation and poor quality drinking water.
Over 500 experts from SAARC countries will meet in Colombo at the South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN) IV to be held from April 4 to 7 to discuss the sanitation needs of South Asian countries and methods to improve it.
The representatives of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will review the progress of commitments made in 2008 in Delhi.