FK-KMK UGM. Access to drinking water and sanitation has now become a national priority. Nur ‘Aisyah Nasution, S.T., .M.S.(Coordinator of Drinking Water and Sanitation BAPPENAS) explained that there are some issues and challenges in manifesting safe drinking water and sanitation, such as climate change disaster, population growth and urbanization, low service access coverage, water pollution and decreased water security, infrastructure that has not been optimal, and funding allocation that is not accordance with the needs.

This explanation was delivered in the Raboan Discussion Forum that was held by Department of Health Behavior, Environment, and Social Medicine Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM on Wednesday (9/11) through a zoom meeting. This Raboan Discussion Forum discusses ”Progress on SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation in Indonesia and How Academia Can Contribute to That”.

Prof. Dr. Juliet Willets from Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney presented to bring “International Scientific Collaboration in the WASH Sector in Indonesia” as her topic. She is a recognised expert in the field of water and sanitation in low- and middle-income country contexts, including Indonesia.

Prof. Sri Irianti, SKM, M.Phil., Ph.D (National Research and Innovation Agency – BRIN), the third speaker, explained that there are some challenges in WAS Research in Indonesia. “WASH Research has not been in the mainstream of research agenda, WASH Research has not fully addressed inequality, relationship between WASH and health outcomes have not been fully understood and proven, and only few WASH Research findings have been utilized to develop evidence-based policies,” she said. (Nirwana/Reporter)