Over 60 participants, including representatives from the Amhara Public Health Institute, the Amhara Regional Health Bureau, religious leaders, the World Health Organization (WHO), and various partners, gathered for a two-day workshop to validate the “Minimum Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Health Requirements for Religious Institutions in the Amhara Region.” The initiative represents a crucial step in Ethiopia’s ongoing efforts to combat recurrent cholera outbreaks by combining the moral influence of faith leaders with public health expertise to safeguard communities and strengthen preparedness.
During the opening session, APHI Director General Mr. Belay Bezabih stressed the importance of collective action and sustained efforts to control cholera. He highlighted that implementing these minimum WASH standards would help prevent future outbreaks while promoting dignity and socio-economic development. According to him, improved hygiene and sanitation at religious sites can enhance the well-being of pilgrims and potentially attract visitors and tourists.
Religious leaders attending the event pledged their commitment to improving sanitation and hygiene in holy sites despite persistent challenges such as water scarcity. They emphasized that strong cooperation between religious institutions and health authorities is key to preventing cholera and other communicable diseases.
Representing WHO Ethiopia, Dr. Innocent Komakech reaffirmed WHO’s support for Ethiopia’s cholera elimination efforts. He described the workshop as a milestone reflecting a shared dedication to protecting the health and dignity of millions of pilgrims. He further linked the new standards to the Global Roadmap to End Cholera by 2030, which seeks to reduce cholera deaths by 90 percent and eliminate the disease in up to 20 countries. Dr. Komakech urged all participants to move from planning to implementation to turn the initiative into tangible results.
The validation workshop was guided by lessons learned from previous cholera outbreaks in the Amhara Region, which exposed serious gaps in water safety and sanitation. In response, local authorities, with WHO and partner support, rapidly deployed emergency teams, distributed water treatment supplies, and engaged faith leaders to help mitigate risks, including advocating for the temporary closure of high-risk sites.
Supported by partners such as the Government of Japan, the European Union (ECHO), and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the cholera response and WASH standards development have significantly strengthened surveillance systems, improved access to clean water, and expanded emergency response capacity.
As the workshop concluded, participants reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the validated WASH and health standards throughout the Amhara Region and beyond. These standards are expected to serve as a practical framework for ensuring safe, dignified conditions in religious institutions and preventing future outbreaks of cholera and other WASH-related diseases.
