People accessing health facilities in the East Sepik Province (ESP) can expect access to clean water and sanitation thanks to the continuous support from the Coca Cola Foundation, supporting the WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programmes in the province. Communities and healthcare facilities will significantly benefit from increased access to safe water as the result of a three-year, USD 1.3 million grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation to WaterAid Papua New Guinea. This support should alleviate the water related issues says Anne-Marie Paul, Country Director at WaterAid PNG. “WaSH-related diseases significantly impact PNG’s weak health system, increasing morbidity and mortality, exacerbating child malnutrition, reducing educational attainment and workforce participation and imposing economic burdens at both household and national levels,” said Anne-Marie. “Water security in Wewak is further compromised by high dependence on rainwater harvesting, but it is insufficient to meet community needs during the dry season and worsened by climate change, droughts and unpredictable rainfall. As a result, many communities turn to unsafe traditional sources—such as shallow, unprotected dug wells—which are highly susceptible to microbiological contamination.” She says WaSH access in healthcare facilities is also extremely low with the large majority not meeting basic WaSH service levels. “Adequate WaSH access in healthcare facilities is essential for patient safety and the quality of healthcare outcomes, particularly for pregnant women and newborns.” She says the project funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation’s most recent grant aims to improve access to safe, clean and sustainable water supply in a number of communities in Wewak district. Around 1,300 residents will benefit from upgraded water services and sustained behaviour change initiatives. “It will also significantly improve patient and healthcare access to water supply at larger district hospitals which see over 5,700 users a month. In addition, it will enhance the capacity and effectiveness of the East Sepik Provincial WaSH Committee to inform and scale WaSH systems across other districts. Papua New Guinea faces a severe WaSH crisis, with some of the lowest access rates globally. The situation is even more critical in Wewak district, East Sepik province, where more than 53% of rural communities do not have access to an improved water supply, contributing to the transmission of preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery and typhoid. Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola Foundation has supported WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programmes in East Sepik province for the past three years, providing USD 582,000 worth of grants for projects since 2022.