WHO launches first Global Guidelines on Sanitation and Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched first global guidelines on sanitation and health.

• These guidelines summarize evidence on effectiveness of range of sanitation interventions.
• They also articulate role of health sector in maximizing health impact of sanitation interventions.

Salient Features of WHO Guidelines:

• WHO's Sanitation and Health Guidelines are aimed at securing health and wellbeing for everyone, everywhere by considering sanitation as the fundamental foundation of human health and development.
• These guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for health-protecting sanitation, covering policy and governance measures, implementation of sanitation technologies, systems and behavioural interventions, risk-based management, and monitoring approaches.
• They also identify gaps in evidence-base to guide future research efforts to improve the effectiveness of sanitation interventions.
• By adopting these new guidelines, countries can significantly reduce diarrhoeal deaths due to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.
• For every US $1 invested in sanitation, it is estimated nearly six-fold return as measured by lower health costs, increased productivity and fewer premature deaths.

Important to know:

• According to WHO, 2.3 billion people worldwide lack basic sanitation and almost half of the world population is forced to defecate in the open.
• They are among 4.5 billion people without access to safely managed sanitation services i.e. do not have toilet connected to sewer or pit or septic tank that treats human waste.
• Without proper access to sanitation, millions of people across the world over are deprived of dignity, safety and convenience of a decent toilet.
• Poor sanitation is also a major factor responsible for transmission of neglected tropical diseases.

About World Health Organization (WHO):

• WHO is a specialized agency of United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health.
• It was established on 7 April 1948, it succeeded the Health Organization, which was an agency of the League of Nations.
• It is a member of UN Development Group (UNDP). 
• It is headquartered at Geneva.
• WHO flag features the Rod of Asclepius as a symbol for healing.

Question:

Q. The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched first global guidelines on which aspect?
a. Education and Nutrition
b. Sanitation and Health
c. Peace and Harmony
d. None of the above