Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how her Department plans to use the Ending Preventable Deaths and Health System Strengthening Approach Papers to inform the development of its country strategy on integrating clean water, safe sanitation and good hygiene into health programmes and investments.

The FCDO published an Ending Preventable Deaths Approach Paper and Health Systems Strengthening Position Paper in December 2021. They set out the Government's approach to building strong health systems; championing sexual reproductive health and rights and gender equality; ensuring healthier environments; and supporting research and innovation.

Improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is an important part of both these strategies and WASH is integral to preventing the deaths of mothers, babies and children by ensuring they live in healthy environments. This includes the provision of WASH within health facilities. These approaches will now be integrated into planning at the global and country level as part of the UK's global health agenda.