Ministry of Health, UNICEF, CDC collaborate for WASH Emergency Training

– 2-day workshop to focus on a range of facets

The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with UNICEF and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), today initiated a 2-day Water And Sanitation Hygiene (W.A.S.H.) workshop at the Commission’s Headquarters. The activity is geared to train technical professionals about the importance of W.A.S.H. and how it can be achieved through assessment, coordination, management and communication of relevant stakeholders.

The event was launched with feature addresses by Irfan Ahktar, Representative (ag) of UNICEF Guyana and Suriname; Major Loring Benons, Director General (ag) of the CDC; and Dr. Narine Singh, Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health. “Without W.A.S.H. we are vulnerable. Nonetheless, inequalities in the coverage of water, sanitation and hygiene have persisted. Diseases thrive on inequality.” – Stern words from Major Benons as he spoke to the participants on why the training is apt. The UNICEF Representative stressed on the unfortunate results of improper W.A.S.H., “The consequences of unsafe water sanitation and hygiene on children can be deadly. Over 700 children under age 5 die every day of diarrheal diseases due to lack of appropriate WASH services.”

The workshop has contributors from The Guyana Red Cross Society; The Guyana Water Incorporated; The Mayor and City Council of Georgetown; The Health Emergency Operation Center, Environmental Health Unit, and Standard and Technical Services Unit (Ministry of Health); and the Ministry of Housing and Water.