A group photo of Promise Consortium Partners during a workshop in Kampala, Uganda, in July 2024.
This project aims to enhance decision-making, health outcomes, and public health responses in the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and food safety sectors by building capacity, fostering scientific exchange, and creating integrated health-environment data systems. Partner institutions across countries will be empowered to work with different stakeholders to use evidence-based sanitation decision-making tools (SaniPath, the Community Pathogen Hazard Assessment of Sanitation Systems (ComPASS), and WASHFIT) in addressing critical environmental health needs in healthcare facilities and communities.
The project is designed with both short-term and long-term objectives, as shown below;
Short-term Objectives:
To institutionalise critical evidence-based sanitation decision-making tools (SaniPath, the Community Pathogen Hazard Assessment of Sanitation Systems (ComPASS) and WASHFIT) in the partnering countries so as to improve decision-making processes and health outcomes.
To build capacity of partner institutions in identifying critical environmental health information needs, develop and use sanitation decision-making tools to collect and analyse data to address these needs, disseminate best practices and scientific knowledge, and advocate for evidence-based decision-making in WASH investments.
To design and test interventions that promote sanitation and hygiene in healthcare facilities and communities in the PROMISE Consortium countries.
Long-term Objectives:
Establish effective and equitable south-south and north-south partnerships in order to serve as a model for collaborative scientific efforts in low- and middle-income countries and undertake research on critical environmental health challenges.
Advocate for the use of innovative tools and integrated health and environment data systems in influencing policies, regulations, and investments at national, regional, and local-government levels.
Project Outcomes:
Improved Decision-Making: Enhanced WASH and food safety through informed decision-making at multiple levels, leading to better health outcomes.
Enhanced Public Health Responses: Strengthened responses to public health crises, particularly in WASH and food safety, resulting in healthier communities.
Increased Capacity of Partner Institutions: Strengthened ability of partner institutions to identify critical environmental health needs and respond effectively. Besides, iincreased dissemination of best practices and advocacycy for evidence-based WASH investments will be achieved.
Enhanced Monitoring and Interventions: Improved monitoring of environmental health indicators, enabling more effective interventions.
Policy Influence and Regulation: Policymakers increasingly use evidence-based sanitation decision-making tools (SaniPath, the Community Pathogen Hazard Assessment of Sanitation Systems (ComPASS) and WASHFIT) in making decisions on interventions/investments.
Partners:
Makerere University School of Public Health.
Emory University Centre for Global Safe WASH.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering.
International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b).
Pan African Consortium of Experts (PACE).
African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC).
Training, Research, and Networking for Development (TREND) Group.
Zambia Institute of Environmental Health.
University of Dar es Salaam.
Makerere University College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT).
