Dear Machrine, 

I think this is a great call to action. It is evident in African government policies, systems, and institutions that the response to sustainable health systems and access to safe sanitation and hygiene is designed to be addressed in an emergency response manner. With the bulk of government financing to the sector falling within the response category of national budgets. 

While we speak about pledges,  We should place emphasis on how critical it is for  African governments to take action by increasing their own funding to the sector within their national budgets. Government financing communicates their own commitments and priorities for sanitation and hygiene. 

See here an extract of the glaas report, on Zambia's budgetary contribution to the sector  versus their expenditure:  www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/moni...light180910.pdf?ua=1
EXTRACT:


Regards,
Chaiwe

You may be interested in this new Opinion piece on Achieving public health equity — start with sanitation and hygiene for all  penned jointly by Hind Khatib-Othman , chair of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and  Elhadj As Sy

Access to sanitation and hygiene is a basic human right and the foundation of health equity. Hind Khatib-Othman and Elhadj As Sy explain why it’s time to turn rhetoric into long-term, community-based solutions through commitments to the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund.

“The large volume of pledges and donations must translate to a commitment to tackle systemic problems preventing health for all, including creating safe and sustainable health systems and access to safe sanitation and hygiene.”

The authors call for a shift from  emergency response to long-term solutions; "This should be a perspective that moves commitment to investment in sanitation and hygiene and finally moves beyond the rhetoric that sanitation and hygiene is a   basic human right  to action."

The full article can be found here: bit.ly/3akVlRh 

Please share your thoughts with us.

Machrine Birungi