Integrating WASH into NTD Programs: Bangladesh Country Assessment

Integrating WASH into NTD Programs Bangladesh Country Assessment, 2013. USAID WASHplus.

USAID’s Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) program asked WASHplus to assess the intersection between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and NTD in Bangladesh. As neither trachoma nor schistosomiasis is endemic to Bangladesh, the disease of concern in this assessment was soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH).

The assessment’s purpose was to examine the existing WASH policy and program context in Bangladesh and identify potential points of intersection for WASH and STH which, with investment, could improve the potential for reduced worm reinfection. The methods used included a semi-structured interview format to gather input from a range of stakeholders including government, INGOs, and local NGOs at the national level and in the field in the Barisal/Borguna region. We followed a snowball design, identifying an initial core group of stakeholders and using these meetings to identify additional key informants. In total, the team met with 20 different stakeholders and visited eight sites in Dhaka and Barisal Division including homes, schools, clinics and community outreach sessions.