The poor and the marginalised sections of the society often bear the brunt of poor sanitation and hygiene.
Access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are crucial to public health of any country. In India lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a major concern as a large part of the population is still deprived of these basic needs. The poor and the marginalised sections of the society often bear the brunt of poor sanitation and hygiene. As the lack of WASH practices has a direct impact on public health which turns into a huge financial burden for the government.
Besides the programmes launched by the Central government, several organisations , including corporate houses and Non-Governmental Organisations, are tirelessly working towards ensuring the access to clean drinking water and safe sanitation facilities for all.
Consumer health and hygiene giant, Reckitt, through its various Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives have been working towards a cleaner and healthier India. Over the years Reckitt’s initiatives have created a huge impact and the success of these programmes lies in the partnerships made with NGOs and government bodies. The man behind Reckitt’s successful CSR projects is Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, External Affairs and Partnerships for Africa, MiddleEast and South Asia regions.
A global public health and public affairs expert, Ravi Bhatnagar, has been at the forefront of implementing various programmes for the welfare of the poor and the marginalised, specifically towards WASH practices.
Mr Bhatnagar is currently involved in taking forward Reckitt’s programme of Health, Hygiene and Nutrition in India’s aspirational districts across multiple states. Being an integral part of Reckitt’s mission of ‘Purpose led Business’, his focus remains on Human- Centric Design Thinking and a creative approach to problem-solving.
In the field of sanitation, he has been instrumental in the establishment of India’s first World Toilet College in Rishikesh. The second World Toilet College was established in Aurangabad, Maharashtra under his supervision.
With his extensive knowledge on the issues of Health, Hygiene and Nutrition, Mr Bhatnagar has efficiently communicated about the effectiveness of the programmes and campaigns of Reckitt Benckiser to government officials of top global institutions like the United Nations, World Bank and World Health Organisation.
Not only has he partnered with an elite group of global organizations like World Bank, Clinton Health Access, ADRA, he has also played a key role in generating sustainable
impact on the ground in partnership with multiple stakeholders including NGOs, Corporations, Foundations and local government bodies in India and abroad.
Under his leadership Rekitt’s initiatives have received over 40 national and international awards. He and his team were awarded by the President of India for their work in the field of Hygiene and Sanitation to take forward the Swachh Bharat Mission. Mr. Bhatnagar has also been the recipient of the Hall of Fame award 2017 of World toilet organization, Singapore.
Apart from his role as a top corporate executive, he also undertakes a lot of initiatives for the well-being of the poor and marginalized at personal level. During the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic he along with his friends created a huge plasma donation network through Bikers For India. He also has been working for the welfare of orphans and vulnerable children who are impacted by Covid-19 pandemic.
Mission Paani, an initiative of News18 in association with Harpic India, has an objective of ‘every Indian should have access to safe water and sanitation’. The campaign aims to amplify all efforts and create awareness towards safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
As the campaign tries to amplify all efforts towards access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all experts, activities and celebrities have extended their support for the cause. Ravi Bhatnagar with his expertise in public health and sanitation related policy matters will share his insight on safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene at the Mission Paani’s World Toilet Day event. He will join an esteemed panel of guests to deliberate on access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all in India.
Article Credit: news18