To celebrate Global Handwashing Day, USAID IUWASH PLUS organized a dialogue involving partner ministries, local governments, and Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) teams from USAID IUWASH PLUS-assisted regions to promote handwashing with soap (HWWS) On October 14, 2021.
The event was held in person in Medan city, through online platform, and was broadcasted on USAID IUWASH PLUS’ YouTube channel, Airsanitasi.
The event began with virtual opening speeches from the Director of Housing and Settlements of the Ministry of PPN/Bappenas, Ms. Tri Dewi Virgiyanti, and the Director of Environmental Health of the Ministry of Health, Ms. Vensya Sitohang, followed by remarks from the Secretary of Housing, Settlements, and Spatial Planning Office of Medan city, Mr. Tondi Nasha Nasution; the Head of Tanjung Gusta sub-district of Medan city, Mr. Irwanta Ginting; and the Project Management Specialist of USAID Indonesia and ACOR of USAID IUWASH PLUS, Ms. Nur Endah Shofiani.
Also participating in the event were the Senior Environment Advisor of USAID Indonesia, Ms. Symantha Holben; the Chief of Party of USAID IUWASH PLUS, Mr. William J. Parente; representatives of Bappeda, the Health Office of Medan city, and Puskesmas Helvetia of Medan city, the Participatory M&E teams (Tim Monev) from Medan city, Deli Serdang district, Magelang city, Probolinggo city, Ternate city, and Jayapura city.
This year’s celebration took on the theme of “Our Future is at Hand – Let’s Move Forward Together,” which emphasizes HWWS as one of the strategies to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and adapt to the ‘new normal’.
In her speech, the Director of Housing and Settlements of the Ministry of PPN/Bappenas, Ms. Tri Dewi Virgiyanti, explained that 78 percent of Indonesia population have handwashing with soap facilities. Yet, only 49.8 percent wash their hands properly.
Tri Dewi Virgiyanti highlighted, “Sanitarians, village government apparatus, and communities should apply individual approach to improve clean and healthy behaviors, particularly hand washing with soap. The hand washing with soap stations in the public facilities should also be improved .”
Similarly call for action was also delivered by the Director of Environmental Health of the Ministry of Health, Ms. Vensya Sitohang. “By making handwashing with soap our culture, we create healthy communities and districts/cities,” she said.
During a dialogue between the participating M&E Teams, the participants went over how to wash hands properly and, importantly, when to do so, to emphasize its role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, including Covid-19. They also expressed commitment to continuing to promote HWWS as well as other improved hygiene behaviors in their respective regions, including through the #TetanggaPanutan initiative.
