Malteser International Annual Report_E

“Prevention is better than cure”
– Safe drinking water can curb
the spread of diseases
The global community is committed to delivering Sustainable
Development Goal 6, “ensuring availability and sustainable
management of water and sanitation for all, by the year 2030.”
Arno Coerver, Global WASH Advisor for Malteser International,
explains how our work contributes to the achievement
of this goal.
PHOTO: INDIA, CARMEN WOLF
W
hy is WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene)
so important in humanitarian aid and
development cooperation?
Arno Coerver: Access to clean water, sanitation
and hygiene is important because it has a significant
impact on the health of many people. At Malteser
International, we have always placed great priority on
improving health. Adequate access to water and sanitation
services is an effective way of preventing disease:
prevention is always better than cure! This is particularly
true for people living in regions where healthcare is
inadequate or often non-existent.
Why are there still so many people without access to
clean water?
AC: Many people around the world rely on groundwater.
These water sources can be polluted and unsuitable
for drinking as a result of high population pressure. As
the world’s population grows, the demand for water
mounts and pressure on finite water resources intensifies.
Climate change is also affecting rainfall patterns,
which means areas with limited water sources are at
risk of drought. People in these regions, especially
women and girls, often have to walk many miles to
find drinking water.
26