Experienced WASH Policy & Strategic Planning Coordinator

John Dennis has 20+ years of experience developing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) policies across Asia-Pacific. Working with WHO, Pacific Community (SPC), and ADB, he creates evidence-based national and regional strategies that bridge international standards with local implementation needs.

Key achievements:

- Led Tuvalu's 10-year National WASH Policy (2024-2033), aligning with SDGs

- Established drinking water standards for Cook Islands

- Developed regional Pacific WASH strategy under WHO guidance

His collaborative approach engages stakeholders from village to national levels, ensuring policies are locally relevant and sustainable. John's work strengthens governance frameworks and improves public health outcomes through practical, achievable WASH solutions.

WASH Policy Development and Strategic Planning

Developing effective WASH policies and strategic plans is essential for enhancing public health and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. This process involves a systematic approach that includes policy formulation, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and the integration of culturally and contextually relevant solutions.

Purpose of WASH Policy Development and Strategic Planning

The primary objective is to establish a comprehensive framework that guides the provision of safe and equitable WASH services. Such policies aim to reduce waterborne diseases, improve quality of life, and promote environmental sustainability. Aligning these policies with international frameworks like SDG 6 ensures a unified approach towards global water and sanitation challenges.

Processes in WASH Policy Development and Strategic Planning

1. Assessment and Analysis: Evaluating the current WASH situation, including existing policies, infrastructure, service provision, and hygiene practices. This assessment should consider the specific needs of diverse population groups.

2. Stakeholder Engagement: Consulting with government agencies, local communities, civil society organizations, private sector actors, and international development partners to ensure policies are responsive to local needs and promote ownership.

3. Policy Formulation: Establishing clear goals, objectives, targets, roles, and responsibilities for different actors based on the assessment and stakeholder input. For example, in a Pacific Island nation, extensive stakeholder consultations, including workshops with government officials and community representatives, informed the development of the national WASH policy and island-specific action plans.

4. Strategic Planning: Translating policy goals into actionable plans with specific interventions, resource allocation, implementation timelines, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress and ensure accountability.

5. WASH Finance Strategy: Identifying the sector's finance gap, exploring options to mobilize resources, and creating policy recommendations to close the gap.

6. Multi-sectoral Coordination: Collaborating across sectors like health, education, and the environment to ensure integrated planning and implementation, as WASH issues are interconnected.

Importance of Stakeholder Engagement

Engaging a broad range of stakeholders throughout the policy development process fosters ownership and accountability. It ensures that the voices of marginalized and vulnerable populations are heard, leading to more inclusive and equitable WASH services. Stakeholder engagement also facilitates transparency and builds trust among communities and implementing agencies.

Evidence-Based Decision-Making

Utilizing reliable data and research findings is fundamental to formulating effective WASH policies. Evidence-based decision-making enables policymakers to identify the most pressing issues, allocate resources efficiently, and implement interventions that have been proven successful. It also aids in setting realistic targets and monitoring progress towards achieving policy objectives.

Alignment with International Frameworks

Aligning WASH policies with international frameworks such as SDG 6 ensures coherence with global efforts and facilitates access to international support and funding. It promotes the adoption of best practices and adherence to internationally recognized standards, enhancing the quality and effectiveness of WASH services.

Best Practices in WASH Policy Development and Strategic Planning

• Inclusive Participation: Involving all relevant stakeholders, including marginalized groups, in the policy development process to ensure diverse perspectives are considered.

• Capacity Building: Strengthening the capabilities of institutions and individuals involved in WASH service delivery to enhance implementation efficiency.

• Sustainable Financing: Establishing reliable funding mechanisms to ensure the long-term sustainability of WASH services.

• Regular Monitoring and Evaluation: Implementing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress, assess impact, and inform necessary adjustments.

Common Challenges and Strategies to Overcome Them

• Resource Constraints: Limited financial and human resources can hinder policy implementation. Addressing this requires innovative financing solutions and capacity-building initiatives.

• Cultural Resistance: Cultural beliefs and practices may impede the adoption of certain WASH interventions. Engaging with communities to understand their perspectives and integrating culturally sensitive approaches can mitigate resistance.

• Coordination Gaps: Lack of coordination among sectors and stakeholders can lead to fragmented efforts. Establishing clear communication channels and collaborative platforms enhances coordination.

Significance of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptation

Robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms are vital for assessing the effectiveness of WASH policies and ensuring accountability. Regular M&E activities provide insights into what works and what doesn't, informing necessary policy adjustments. Adaptation mechanisms allow policies to remain responsive to changing circumstances, such as population growth, climate change, or emerging health threats, ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of WASH interventions.

Developing effective WASH policies and strategic plans requires a comprehensive and inclusive approach that integrates stakeholder engagement, evidence-based decision-making, and alignment with international frameworks. By addressing common challenges and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, WASH policies can significantly contribute to improved public health outcomes and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

WASH Emergency Response & Risk Management Expert

John Dennis brings 20+ years of expertise in protecting public health through WASH risk management and emergency response. His work spans risk identification, system vulnerability assessments, regional and national strategic planning and regulatory compliance.

Notable experience includes managing WASH responses for Tropical Cyclone Pam (Tuvalu) and COVID-19 (New Zealand). He develops contingency plans and builds system resilience across national and local levels.

John strengthens community protection against waterborne diseases through:

• Emergency response planning

• Disaster readiness training

• Regulatory compliance guidance

• System adaptation strategies

His cross-cultural expertise and technical knowledge enable sustainable solutions that enhance public health resilience during crises.

Managing WASH Risks and Emergency Preparedness

WASH-Related Risks and Comprehensive Emergency Response Plans

Water, sanitation, and hygiene are fundamental pillars of public health and well-being. Inadequate WASH conditions pose significant risks, particularly in vulnerable settings. Addressing these risks is crucial to prevent disease outbreaks, promote health, and ensure sustainable development. Safe and readily available WASH services are integral to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to health, education, and gender equality.

WASH-Related Risks

WASH-related risks encompass a wide range of hazards associated with unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene practices. These risks can lead to various adverse health outcomes, including:

• Diarrheal diseases: Illnesses causing excessive loss of water from the body, often due to bacteria, viruses, or parasites in contaminated food or water.

• Acute respiratory infections: Infections affecting the respiratory system, including the nose, throat, and lungs, often spread through respiratory droplets or contaminated surfaces.

• Malnutrition: A condition resulting from insufficient intake of essential nutrients, leading to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and increased susceptibility to diseases.

• Cholera: An acute diarrheal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

• Typhoid fever: A life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi, typically spread through contaminated food or water.

• Hepatitis A: A viral liver infection transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food or water or through close contact with an infected person.

Inadequate access to safe WASH services can disproportionately impact women and girls, increasing their risk of illness, and infection, particularly during menstruation and childbirth. A lack of private and secure sanitation facilities can also compromise their safety and dignity. Furthermore, climate change exacerbates WASH-related risks by increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, causing systems to fail and creating hazardous conditions that can lead to disease outbreaks.

Mitigating WASH-Related Risks

Effective mitigation of WASH-related risks requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the entire WASH service chain, from source to disposal. Key strategies include:

• Drinking Water Safety Plans (DWSPs): Risk management approaches that ensure the safety of drinking water supplies by identifying and controlling hazards throughout the water supply system. They involve regular monitoring, assessment, and implementation of corrective actions to maintain water quality.

• Sanitation Safety Plans (SSPs): Risk-based approaches focusing on managing health risks associated with sanitation systems. They involve assessing and controlling hazards along the entire sanitation chain, from containment to disposal, and prioritising improvements based on health risks.

• Hygiene promotion: Promoting good hygiene practices, such as handwashing with soap, safe disposal of excreta, and proper food handling, is essential to prevent the spread of diseases. Educational campaigns, community engagement, and behaviour change interventions are crucial for effective hygiene promotion.

• Environmental considerations: Integrating environmental circumstances into WASH programming is crucial to minimise negative impacts, such as loss of biodiversity, land degradation, and air emissions. Sustainable WASH practices should promote environmental protection and resilience.

• WASH in healthcare settings: The lack of safe water, functional toilets, and handwashing facilities in healthcare settings poses significant health risks to patients, healthcare workers, and nearby communities. Improving WASH in healthcare facilities is crucial to prevent healthcare-associated infections and reduce the transmission of antimicrobial resistance.

• Solid waste management: Ensuring responsible management and appropriate disposal of solid waste, including medical waste, is critical in mitigating the health hazards linked to contaminated water sources.

Developing Comprehensive Plans to Effectively Respond to Natural Disasters and Health Emergencies

Natural disasters and health emergencies can have devastating consequences for communities, disrupting essential services, damaging infrastructure, and causing widespread illness and loss of life. Developing comprehensive plans to effectively respond to these events is crucial to minimise their impact and ensure a swift and coordinated recovery. Mitigating risk exposure and strengthening the resilience of WASH systems is essential to protect vulnerable populations and reduce the confounding impacts of poverty.

Community Participation

Community participation is essential for effective disaster preparedness and response. Engaging communities in planning, decision-making, and implementation ensures that local knowledge, practices, and contexts are considered. Community-based approaches can strengthen resilience, promote ownership, and facilitate sustainable solutions.

Emergency response planning focuses on preparing WASH systems to withstand disasters such as cyclones, floods, and pandemics. This includes creating contingency plans, establishing resource allocation protocols, and coordinating with stakeholders at national, regional, and local levels. During crises, quick activation of these plans ensures the continuity of essential services and minimises health risks from waterborne diseases and sanitation breakdowns.

Long-term efforts often involve strengthening institutional capacity through training and collaborative planning to build resilient WASH systems. This work emphasises the integration of international standards, regulatory compliance, and locally appropriate solutions to ensure effective and sustainable outcomes.

The importance of WASH in emergency contexts cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in protecting health, maintaining dignity, and enabling recovery. By addressing risks and planning comprehensively, countries can safeguard communities against the cascading impacts of disasters and emergencies while laying the foundation for more resilient systems.

WASH Capacity Building and Community Training Services

• Training of Trainers (ToT) Seminars: John has facilitated numerous ToT seminars on Drinking Water Safety Planning (DWSP) as part of the WHO Water Safety Plan Programme. His work spans countries such as Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, Cambodia, Maldives, and Tahiti, where he has empowered local trainers to effectively implement and disseminate WASH practices within their communities.

• Community Engagement and Education: Recognising the pivotal role of community involvement in sustainable WASH solutions, John has led initiatives that promote hygiene practices and improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities. His approach involves active engagement with community members, ensuring that interventions are culturally appropriate and widely accepted.

• Capacity Building at Multiple Levels: John's experience includes working with government officials, NGOs, and local communities to strengthen WASH systems. By conducting targeted workshops and training programs, he has enhanced the skills of stakeholders, enabling them to manage and maintain WASH services effectively.

• Adaptability to Diverse Contexts: His work in various countries has equipped him with the ability to tailor training and capacity-building efforts to the specific needs and challenges of different regions, ensuring that solutions are both effective and sustainable.

Through these efforts, John has significantly contributed to the development of robust WASH systems that safeguard public health and promote community well-being.