The sanitation problem : what can and should the health sector do?

WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. This vision can only be achieved by working in collaboration with others. This report is part of an ongoing programme of work which seeks to reach out beyond the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector to engage with actors and agencies from other sectors, particularly health and education, as part of a concerted joint effort to address the lack of access to WASH and the profound impact it has on health, welfare and economic growth in the world’s poorest countries and communities. The report argues that the scale of the financial and human costs of the neglect of sanitation cannot be ignored; and that joint, cross-sector efforts that make better use of existing resources are critical to building on the gains achieved so far in improving global health. Progress on global health, in particular on child health, will require health and sanitation professionals to work together to tackle poor sanitation. This report attempts to provide some practical recommendations on how to facilitate this joint effort. [authors abstract]