Citizen Participation in delivery of Urban Environmental health can make a difference

Author: Dhiraj Kumar Nath: Urban Health Expert and Staff Consultant , Asian Development Bank. Topic : Citizens participation key to ensure environmental health Abstract : Citizens participation can make a difference in... [ view full abstract ]

Author: Dhiraj Kumar Nath: Urban Health Expert and Staff Consultant , Asian Development Bank.
Topic : Citizens participation key to ensure environmental health

Abstract : Citizens participation can make a difference in delivery of urban public and environment health care services in city corporation and municipalities.The result derived from a study conducted in the catchment areas of Dhaka City Corporation Chittagong City Corporation and Barisal City Corporation of Bangladesh under Urban Public and Environmental Health Sector Development Project,supported by Asian Development Bank. The project mission is to improve accessibility to health care and its optimization,reduction of diseases and their relation to climate changes by involving citizens in solid waste,medical waste,food and water safety and primary health care services with pro-poor targeting and gender responsiveness.
A community participation plan developed to facilitate the participation of citizens and stakeholders groups where service delivery alliances consisting of civil society representatives, private sector providers at facility and ward levels were formed. Waste Pickers Livelihood Training Program started to absorb waste pickers into paid jobs with community-based organizations contracted for municipal service delivery within the project areas.
The study, conducted in three city corporations on six wards taking two from each. Interviewers developed a questionnaire mainly asking the role of ward level committees and their role to train waste pickers for 5 days with the compensation package of Tk. 81 per day. Ward level committees also involved van operators, rickshaw pullers, street sweepers and com-posters to transfer household waste to short transfer stations before taking to scientific landfills.
The study result reveals improvement of awareness on urban public health, preventing health care in comparison to other urban local bodies not covered under the Project.Initial findings indicate citizens participation cab be empowering driver to make difference and attain universal health coverage by 2030.