Poor hygiene and sanitation is causing Nepal more than US$ 150 million (EUR 97 million) per year losses in terms of health costs, loss of economic productivity and the adverse effect on tourism. This striking figure is published by the Steering Committee for National Sanitation Action in its Country plan for the International Year of Sanitation 2008, PDF file.

“Unless we act fast, the problems will get worse,” said Bharat Adhikari, from the NGO Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH). Adhikari added that there was a need to build at least 15,000 latrines a month (until 2015) if Nepal was to achieve its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of 53 per cent access to sanitation and improved drinking water systems by 2015.

Related news: Nepal: water borne disease a major health problem in Nepal, Source Weekly, 13 Jul 2007

Source: IRIN, 9 Mar 2008

Tags: policies & legislation, sanitation