A WASH Committee has been established in the Rabaul District of East New Britain Province to help drive projects aimed at improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation needs in the communities of its four local level governments. District Administrator, Benedict Mode, said the establishment of the committee is part of the National WASH policy that requires districts to have WASH committees and is one of the priority of the government of the day to drive WASH projects and programs. The district WASH committee chaired by Mode and comprised of the four LLG managers and sector heads, was established following a training conducted in March of this year in Kokopo and attended by the environmental health officers (EHOs) and Mode himself. “After this training we went as far as establishing the WASH committee which is one of the activities in the district and is also included in the activity program for 2023.” “We have conducted a number of meetings in the last few weeks including a submission to the district management team to endorse the terms of reference and funding allocation of K600, 000 for the committee.” A WASH Technical team under the committee has also been set up specifically to look at improving water supply projects in the wards including schools and health facilities within the district. According to an implementation schedule, a training will be held for ward development officers and EHOs next month (July), which is also a requirement of the policy to come up with a five year implementation plan for the WASH program in the district. “After the training we will then visit the wards and conduct surveys and data collections to help draft the five year plan that will run concurrently with the Rabaul district 5 year development plan, also being drafted. Both plans should be launched before the year ends.” Meanwhile Mode said the committee plans to implement two projects targeting Watom LLG and Gelagela in Kombiu LLG this year.