ITN-BUET has won two prestigious awards on sanitation workers research at the 2024 UNC Water & Health Conference, held in the USA from 14-18 October 2024 Organized by The Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), the conference gathered global WASH professionals with the mission to improve public health by ensuring universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
The two awards were ‘Best Published Paper’ and ‘Best Original Research Abstract’ on sanitation worker research and given by the Initiative for Sanitation Workers (ISW), a global advocacy partnership between the ILO, WHO, WaterAid, the World Bank, and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. On behalf of ITN-BUET, Director Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ahmed received two awards on 16 October 2024, at the Friday Center of Chapel Hill in North Carolina.
The paper on ‘Evaluation of Occupational Health and Safety Intervention for Waste and Sanitation Workers in Bangladesh during COVID-19’, published in Vol. 255 (January 2024 issue) of the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, won in the ‘Best Published Paper’ category. This paper highlights the findings from a study that evaluates a COVID-19 intervention in Bangladesh aimed at reducing health risks for waste and sanitation workers through assessing PPE and capacity building. Using a randomized cluster trial across 10 cities in Bangladesh, the study showed that the intervention significantly improved workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding PPE use, COVID-19 transmission, and hygiene behaviors. Through surveys and observations at baseline and endline, the researchers assessed the intervention’s effects. ITN-BUET in collaboration with icddr,b conducted the research study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The contributors to the study were Tanvir Ahmed, Dewan Muhammad Shoaib, Kazy Farhat Tabassum, Mehedi Hasan, Fazle Sharior, Mahbubur Rahman, Makfie Farah, Md Azizur Rahman, Alauddin Ahmed, James B. Tidwell, and Mahbub-Ul Alam.
The ITN-BUET study titled ‘Unforeseen Adverse Outcomes Associated with the Formalization of Fecal Sludge Emptying Services in Municipalities of Bangladesh’ received the award for ‘Best Original Research Abstract.’ This study examines the unintended downsides of formalizing fecal sludge emptying services in eight Bangladeshi cities. In attempt to improve conditions, job formalization often reduces sanitation workers’ income, as municipalities set desludging rates and require income-sharing, which drives many back to more profitable manual emptying. Mechanical desludging is limited in narrow spaces, leading to unsafe manual work, particularly for low-paying jobs. The study suggests increasing awareness, setting fair rates, and enhancing safety measures to make formalization sustainable for workers. The contributors to the abstract are: Tazrina Habib Ananya, Afia Zahin Nita Hossain, Tanvir Ahmed, Michael Poustie, Mariam Zaqout, and Dani Barrington. The study was supported by the ISW Research Grant to ITN-BUET. Practical Action Bangladesh (PAB) has partnered with ITN-BUET in this study. It is to be noted that ITN-BUET (in association with icddrb) also won the ‘Best Original Research Abstract’ award in 2022.
ITN-BUET has been a part of the conference for the last few years and continues to have an impactful presence on this global platform. This global recognition through these awards will motivate ITN-BUET to further expand its research and initiatives, working toward achieving safe and sustainable sanitation for all.
