News and Public Notices

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has achieved a significant milestone with the official launching of its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Improvement Strategic Plan 2024–2029.

This significant achievement makes Bougainville the first region to formally establish a dedicated WASH strategic framework.

Speaking during the launch, ABG Secretary for Health, Clement Totavun, described WASH as an important development agenda for Bougainville, emphasizing the government’s commitment to prioritizing WASH in its development programs.

“WASH is a huge development agenda and all stakeholders, including the ABG Government, ABG departments, development partners, and NGOs must work together to achieve this before independence for Bougainville,” Mr. Totavun said.

He noted that while various stakeholders had been implementing WASH activities, it was done without proper technical guidance, however with this strategy, it will now provide technical guidance to direct WASH programs throughout Bougainville.

Health Secretary also stressed that apart from the health focus on delivering of basic fundamental core business in the health sector in managing patients in the health facilities, delivering clinical care and health services, the ABG Department of Health shifted to focus on three priority areas – health promotion, public health nutrition and WASH.

“This paradigm shifts from 2018 to now was due to serious problems with overcrowding of our major hospitals, and health facilities with more patients and less health staff to attend – if we practice WASH and implement WASH in all sectors of our community, we will have healthy communities and our health facilities will be manageable,” he said.

The Health Secretary acknowledged key development partners including the European Union, ABT Associates, Plan International, World Vision, the National Government, and the various ABG departments for their ongoing support towards strengthening Bougainville’s WASH sector.

He reiterated that improved WASH services are essential not only for public health outcomes but for achieving development targets in line with Bougainville’s independence aspirations.

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