IMPROVED Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in Kisarawe District, Coast Region are likely to boost economic growth following reduced burden of waterborne diseases, Minister for Industry and Trade, Selemani Jafo said yesterday.

He was speaking in Dar es Salaam during a dissemination workshop for the effectiveness of hygienic behaviour in schools and health care facilities programme which has been successfully implemented in the district for three years.

“Access to clean water and proper sanitation reduces the incidence of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea. This leads to fewer healthcare costs, less absenteeism from work and school as well as ensuring a healthier population,” said Jafo who is a Kisarawe Member of Parliament.

He said that improved WASH services bring about changes especially in the areas of sanitation and personal hygiene, thus protecting the community from diseases caused by poor hygiene. He commended the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for supporting the programme and funding from WaterAid Tanzania totalling euros 2,282,941. It was concurrently implemented in Tanzania, Madagascar and Nepal from 2021 to 2024.

The minister underscored the need for leaders, teachers, pupils and the community to ensure the sustainability of the constructed WAS facilities that are meant to ensure hygienic behaviours amongst users in 30 schools and 15 healthcare facilities.

Jafo said Tanzania is among countries that are doing better in implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially goal number 3 which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages and goal number 6 which is about ensuring access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene as the most basic human need.

Kisarawe District Commissioner Petro Magoti said the district is still in need of more WASH facilities since it has a total of 120 schools.

“We have 100 schools in need of the facilities. This will save children from waterborne diseases, thus improving their academic performance,” he said.

 Anna Mzinga, Country Director WaterAid Tanzania, said that construction of inclusive latrines, hand washing stations and water connections and storage facilities have significantly transformed the environment within selected health facilities and schools in Kisarawe District.

“Behaviour change interventions were applied and embedded to empower communities together with hygiene intervention packages specifically for schools and health facilities to instill lifelong hygienic practices.”

According to her, the project has resulted in improved hand-washing behaviour among the targeted populations, development of robust evidence-based on hand hygiene and development of two comprehensive hygiene packages that include step-by-step guidance on how to conduct hygiene sessions in schools and health facilities.