WASH+H Behavior Change for a Clean and Healthy Sri Lanka

Transcript

ADB, Ralacreation post production unit

Sri Lanka, home to over 22 million people, is a lower middle income island nation situated in the Indian Ocean.

Like many countries, Sri Lanka was hard hit by COVID-19.

The pandemic resulted in health and economic crises, and it highlighted how important behavior is for disease prevention.

Simple practices like hand washing proved crucial.

In the wake of COVID-19, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) supported Sri Lanka's National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) and water and sanitation sector partners to strengthen behavior change capacity through the COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control technical assistance.

The technical assistance, funded by the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, did so by developing and testing evidence-based behavior change activities, building partner capacity in the process and assessing the enabling environment for behavior change.

Pedro Almeida
Senior Urban Development Specialist
Asian Development Bank

This TA has played a pivotal role in combating challenges posed by COVID-19 in Sri Lanka. 

By implementing evidence-based behavior change programs, we have significantly enhanced hygiene practices making a real impact on the ground.

A school hand washing nudge pilot was one key project activity.

The pilot sought to nudge students in five primary schools to wash hands with soap by installing footpaths with footprints, mirrors above sinks, and handprints near sinks in school sanitation facilities.

The results have been remarkable.

Before the pilot, 18% of students washed their hands with soap after using the toilet.

After the nudges were put in place, 47% of students did so.

D.M.U.P.Dissanayake, Principal 
WP/JP/Vidyawardana Vidyalaya
Wellampitiya

Implementation of nudge pilot project in our school resulted in a significant behavioral change in students to wash their hands with soap.

As another key activity, the project has developed an evidence-based behavior change campaign to promote hygiene practices that protect child health, such as handwashing with soap, safe disposal of child feces and safe household water storage with the goal of protecting vulnerable groups, especially children below 2 years of age, from infectious diseases.

Anoja Kaluarachchi
Deputy General Manager (Development)
National Water Supply & Drainage Board

Throughout the technical assistance project, the ADB has collaborated closely with sector partners to develop and test the initiatives strengthening the behavior change capacity.

It also provided technical training throughout.

Capacity building has been a feature throughout the project activities.

Together with our partners, ADB remains committed to promoting sustainable development and improving the well-being of people in Sri Lanka.