Water and Sanitation Extension Program

rdf:langString Water and Sanitation Extension Program

rdf:langString The Water and Sanitation Extension Program (WASEP) is an initiative by the Aga Khan Planning and Building Service, Pakistan to provide clean drinking water and hygienic sanitation facilities to prevent the high incidence of waterborne diseases in disadvantaged communities of Pakistan. WASEP was launched in 1997 and has to date provided potable water and installed over 9200 latrines in 225 villages, benefiting over 165,000 people in the Northern Areas of Pakistan and the province of Sindh. An independent evaluation estimated the attributable reduction in diarrhea incidence at approximately 25%. A report based on this evaluation was selected as lead scientific article for the peer-reviewed Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Although this estimate (25%) is lower than the 50-60% reduction projected by WASEP on the basis of pre-post intervention comparisons using program monitoring data, it is based on a rigorously designed case-control study that adjusted for confounding variables using advanced statistical methods. The attributable reduction compares favorably with other initiatives of this type when subjected to this level of rigor. The study has been cited in scientific reviews and in a public health textbook which states that "safe local water supply systems, properly managed and regularly tested by trained individuals, is a major development thrust in many parts of the world; interventions to improve hygiene education and practices show promise".