New Delhi, Nov 19 (Bureau) A new social contract is emerging around health and hygiene through the global response to COVID-19. To mark World Toilet Day (19 November 2020), a new report on how technology can be used to improve sanitation and public health outcomes has been launched by the International Water Association (IWA) and the Toilet Board Coalition (TBC). A press note from the London-based IWA said on Thursday that the white paper, entitled ‘Improving Public Health Through Smart Sanitation and Digital Water’ , calls for sanitation and water operators to boost collaboration and accelerate the use of digital technologies to improve public health surveillance.
The report reinforces the critical importance of data mapping and sharing, and the use of remote monitoring for managing disease outbreaks, to shift from a reactive to a more preventative response. Notably, these developments could help governments and communities prepare and respond more effectively to any future outbreak of coronavirus.