Lao PDR - Findings from hygiene and sanitation financing study in Lao PDR

In Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), poor sanitation and hygiene causes at least three million disease episodes and 6,000 premature deaths annually. Diarrheal disease is, in fact, tied with pneumonia as the second largest killer of children under five. Poor sanitation also contributes significantly to water pollution, adding to the cost of accessing safe and clean drinking water. The consequences go even further. A recent study by the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) found that in 2006, the country lost an estimated LAK1.9 trillion (US$193 million) due to poor sanitation and hygiene, equivalent to 5.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Strengthening planning and accelerating progress in sanitation and hygiene could yield substantial benefits, not just for the economy but by prolonging life and improving the future for the people of Lao PDR. In Laos, very little information is available on how much money is being spent on sanitation and hygiene, by which entities, for what purposes, or in what locations. There is also little information on who benefits from this expenditure. This study aims to present an overview of the current status of sanitation and hygiene financing and to provide useful information and recommendations that can help strengthen planning and accelerate progress in sanitation and hygiene. This Research Brief summarizes the mains findings of the study in Lao PDR.