A World Health Organisation (WHO) report titled ‘’Har Ghar Jal’’ estimates that ensuring safely managed drinking water for all households in India could avert nearly 400,000 deaths caused by diarrheal diseases and prevent approximately 14 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) related to these diseases. This achievement alone would result in estimated cost savings of up to $101 billion. The report focuses on diarrhoeal diseases as it accounts for the majority of WASH-attributable disease burden.
The ‘Har Ghar Jal’ report focuses on diarrheal diseases as they contribute significantly to the overall disease burden related to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) issues. The analysis underscores the urgent need to address these diseases and the potential for substantial gains in public health and economic well-being.
– Ensuring safely managed drinking water for all households in the country could avert nearly 400,000 diarrhoeal disease deaths- With universal coverage of safely managed drinking water in India, almost 14 million DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) from diarrhoeal disease are estimated to be averted, resulting in estimated cost savings of up to $101 billion.
– Rural tap water connections increased from 16.64% in 2019 to 62.84% within a span of 41 months
Prior to 2019, the situation of water supply in rural areas was challenging. The report reveals that in 2018, 36% of India’s total population, including 44% of the rural population, lacked access to improved drinking-water sources on their premises. The direct consumption of unsafe drinking water had severe health and societal consequences. The analysis indicates that in 2019, unsafe drinking water, along with inadequate sanitation and hygiene, contributed to 1.4 million deaths and 74 million DALYs globally.
WHO monitors various Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators, including the proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water services (Indicator 6.1.1) and mortality related to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene (Indicator 3.9.2). WHO has developed methods and tools to estimate the health gains associated with improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene, particularly in reducing diarrheal diseases and other related health outcomes.
The report emphasizes the tremendous time and effort saved for women and girls through the provision of tap water. In 2018, women in India spent an average of 45.5 minutes daily collecting water to meet household needs. Overall, households without on-premises water spent a staggering 66.6 million hours each day collecting water, with the majority (55.8 million hours) occurring in rural areas. Universal coverage through tap water provision will result in substantial savings by eliminating the need for daily water collection efforts.
“We are witnessing the role of safe drinking water in saving lives, empowering women and girls, and contributing to ease of living,’’ said Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog on Friday at the launch of the groundbreaking report of WHO highlighting the substantial benefits of the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ program in India.
‘’No programme has this kind of direct impact on improving the lives of individuals and families physically, mentally, and financially”, he stressed. Dr Paul commended the speed and scale of the programme and said, “A new connection is being added every second and transforming public health in India today.”
About ‘Har Ghar Jal’ programme
The Har Ghar Jal Programme, implemented by the Jal Jeevan Mission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, was announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on August 15, 2019. The program aims to provide every rural household with affordable and regular access to an adequate supply of safe drinking water through taps. The program’s components align with the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (JMP) to monitor progress on SDG 6.1 for safely managed drinking water services.
