Context

• On World Health Day, as the global community reflects on the foundations of human well-being, India offers a transformative perspective: health and sanitation are inseparable.
• Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has launched unprecedented nationwide movements in water and sanitation.
• These initiatives, most notably the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), have reshaped not only infrastructure but also societal attitudes toward public health, gender equity, and environmental sustainability.

Transformative Rural Missions: SBM and JJM

• Swachh Bharat Mission
  • India’s story of health transformation cannot be told without recognising the monumental achievements of SBM (Grameen) and JJM.
  • These initiatives, often misconstrued as simply providing toilets and tap water, are in fact emblematic of a deeper societal shift.
  • Launched in 2014, the SBM was envisioned as a Jan Andolan, a people’s movement rooted in behavioural change.
  • By 2019, India declared itself Open Defecation Free (ODF), significantly ahead of the global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2 deadline of 2030.
• Jal Jeevan Mission
  • Building on the momentum of SBM, the Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in 2019 with the aim of delivering clean drinking water to every rural household.
  • This initiative goes beyond infrastructure, it is a foundational investment in human potential.
  • Research by Nobel Laureate Dr. Michael Kremer found that universal tap water access could prevent 136,000 child deaths annually, while WHO estimates suggest the potential to avert over 400,000 diarrhoeal deaths.
  • The mission has also had a transformative effect on gender roles, saving 5.5 crore hours daily, time that was previously spent by women fetching water, and enabling increased female participation in agriculture and allied activities.

The Impact of India’s Transformative Rural Missions

• According to the World Health Organisation, over 300,000 diarrhoeal deaths were averted between 2014 and 2019.
• Additionally, children in non-ODF areas experienced 58% higher rates of wasting, as noted by the Gates Foundation.
• UNICEF studies from 2017 highlight improved safety and health, particularly for women, with 93% reporting feeling more secure after gaining access to home toilets.
• The broader financial impact is equally significant, with rural households saving approximately ₹50,000 annually in healthcare costs.
• Moreover, environmental benefits include significantly reduced groundwater contamination, contributing to long-term public health resilience.

Key Features of India’s Sanitation and Water Initiatives

• Integrating Public Health with Holistic Rural Development
  • What makes India’s sanitation and water initiatives particularly noteworthy is their integration with broader development goals.
  • The Sujal and Swachh Gaon campaign exemplifies this convergence, unifying efforts in water access, hygiene, and waste management at the village level.
  • With over 5.07 lakh villages now equipped with solid waste management systems and 5.23 lakh managing liquid waste, India is building a sustainable, preventive healthcare model from the grassroots up.
• Focus on Women Empowerment
  • This transformation also reflects a powerful gender dynamic.
  • Far from being passive beneficiaries, women are emerging as central agents of change, from water quality testers to sanitation entrepreneurs and community leaders.
  • Over 2.48 million women have been trained in water testing, while self-help groups are managing sanitation infrastructure and producing sanitary napkins.
  • This evolution not only fosters gender equity but reinforces the notion that true public health must empower communities from within.
• Public Health as a Multisectoral Endeavour
  • The most profound insight from India’s journey is the understanding that health cannot be the mandate of one ministry alone.
  • It is the outcome of collaborative efforts across sectors, including water, sanitation, nutrition, education, and rural development.
  • The convergence of these domains underlines a crucial shift in public policy: from compartmentalized governance to integrated action.
• A Global Blueprint for Sustainable Development
  • India’s WASH revolution (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) is not an isolated national achievement; it offers a blueprint for the world, especially countries in the Global South facing similar challenges.
  • Its emphasis on behavioural change, community ownership, and inter-ministerial collaboration makes it a model worth emulating.
  • As the nation moves towards achieving the SDGs, it does so not with insularity, but with a spirit of global cooperation.

Conclusion

• As the world celebrates health on this special day, India’s example reminds us that the foundations of good health lie not just in hospitals or medicine, but in homes, with access to clean water, safe sanitation, and empowered communities.
• Through SBM and JJM, India has demonstrated that political will, community participation, and technological innovation can coalesce to transform public health.
• As the nation continues its march towards a Viksit Bharat, its experiences, insights, and models stand as valuable lessons for global cooperation and development.
• India remains committed to sharing its journey and co-creating a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world.