Virtual WASH NTD Learning and Exchange Series Process and Lessons Learned

Collaboration between neglected tropical disease (NTD) and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programmes and stakeholders is essential to prevent, treat, and manage NTDs. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) released WASH and Health Working Together: A ‘How-To’ Guide for Neglected Tropical Disease Programmes to provide NTD programme managers with guidance on effective engagement and collaboration with the WASH sector. The UK Aid funded Ascend East Africa and South Asia programme held an online WASH-NTD Learning & Exchange Series to strengthen this coordination in East and Southern Africa. This series covered the abovementioned WASH and NTD toolkit, and the experiences of countries in using it, to enable participants to promote and lead WASH and NTD coordination at the national and subnational levels. The purpose of this report is to provide insight on how to replicate or adapt the WASH-NTD Learning & Exchange Series. As such, the report will primarily focus on:

• the work required to organize such an event,
• the content included and lesson plans used,
• the strengths and weaknesses of the series,
• and lastly, suggestions for future learning activities on WASH and NTD coordination.

This information was gathered through participant surveys, interviews with series facilitators, and by attending the sessions. This report is not meant to be a replacement for studying the toolkit and adapting it to the relevant contexts. While this workshop focused on WASH and NTD sector coordination, the lessons learned may be relevant for coordination and collaboration between other sectors as well, such as between WASH and nutrition, cholera or maternal and child health.