India’s Ambitious Sanitation Programme Saves 70,000 Lives Annually

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

India has made another important leap in medicine as the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) or Clean India Mission, the Asian country ambitious national sanitation programme has contributed significantly to reducing infant and under-five mortality rates across the country averting 60,000 – 70,000 deaths annually.

A recent study published in Nature, world’s leading multi-disciplinary science journal, by leading experts shows that the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) or Clean India Mission, India’s ambitious national sanitation programme, has contributed significantly to reducing infant and under-five mortality rates across the country averting 60,000 – 70,000 infant lives annually.

The study, which utilized a quasi-experimental design, provides robust evidence linking increased toilet access under SBM with improved child survival outcomes.

Launched on 2nd October 2014 the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, SBM is one of the largest national behavioural change sanitation programmes in the world, aimed at eliminating open defecation by providing household toilets across India.

Through ‘Whole of Government’ approach, by making sanitation ‘everyone’s business’ and ensuring people’s participation, by 2020, the campaign realized construction of over 117 million household toilets, benefitting over 500 million people across 630,000 villages in India.

This progressed India towards SDG 6.2, which aims for adequate and equitable sanitation access for all, especially for women and girls. The findings underscore the critical role of sanitation in improving child health and reducing mortality. 

A United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) study, 2019, showed that soil and groundwater sources in open defecation free villages were overall less contaminated compared to the villages that did not have 100 per cent toilet coverage. It was also calculated that an equivalent of 7.5 million full-time jobs had been created by SBM.

Underscoring the economic and environmental benefits of access to sanitation, and its spill over benefits to other SDG goals such as those promoting environmental protection and upward mobility for vulnerable populations.

The evidence from SBM’s implementation provides a powerful case for the continued expansion of sanitation programmes as part of broader public health strategies.

The results suggest that efforts in this regard should focus on sustaining behavioural changes and ensuring that constructed toilets are utilized effectively to maximize health benefits.

As India is celebrating the “Cleanliness is Service 2024” drive from 17 September to 2nd October 2024 the unique programme has metamorphized into a nation-wide mission for ensuring Clean India.