As I write this, more than 200,000 cases of coronavirus have been detected worldwide , and nearly 9,000 deaths reported. The virus is wreak...
As I write this, more than 200,000 cases of coronavirus have been detected worldwide, and nearly 9,000 deaths reported. The virus is wreaking destruction in developed countries. In the global South – countries in Asia, Africa and South America – the transmission rate is slower, but the next few weeks are crucial to bring it under control.
Hand washing, as per the World Health Organisation’s directives, is the frontline defence that is the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease. However, that is a problem for three billion people who don’t have access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, also known as WASH facilities. In the days to come, we will witness the most water-stressed countries struggle to cope with the pandemic.
With World Water Day on March 22, it may be appropriate to discuss how to ensure safe WASH facilities to those in the global South, where the health infrastructure is inadequate to deal with the current crisis. While social distancing applies for people working in the organised sector, many economies in transition have millions of poor – especially in urban locations – who work in unorganised sectors. How do we keep them safe without hampering their livelihood as daily-wage earners?
Global situation
Fortunately, the coronavirus has...
