Climate-resilient infrastructure termed vital for coastal Sindh

Access to health, sanitation services critical for coastal communities facing heatwaves, recurrent floods

KARACHI:

Access to reliable and climate-resilient health and sanitation services has become critical for communities along Sindh's coastal belt, where poverty, heatwaves, and recurrent floods continue to endanger lives.

To address this, the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF), with support from the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), has inaugurated a series of sanitation and health infrastructure schemes under the project "Restoration of Social Services and Climate Resilience" in union councils Garho and Bijoro, District Thatta.

The newly developed facilities - including eco-friendly waiting areas, solar power systems, medical equipment for women's health, and 60 toilets across five villages - are centered around the Basic Health Unit (BHU) Garho. These interventions will directly benefit over 5,000 residents, particularly women, by improving access to safe, clean, and climate-adaptive healthcare.

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Speaking at the inauguration, MNA Sadiq Memon said: "Climate-resilient infrastructure is the need of the hour. As climate change and poverty devastate coastal lives, strengthening health systems, sanitation facilities, and local infrastructure is crucial for a resilient and dignified future."

He termed the project a model of effective collaboration between communities, civil society, and development partners, noting that climate-smart infrastructure protects the health and dignity of vulnerable populations.

A toilet facility developed in Union Councils Garho and Bijoro, District Thatta, featuring a message in Sindhi on the wall that highlights the importance of sanitation and encourages handwashing. Photo by Author

SCF Executive Director Javed Hussain said the coastal region faces the harsh realities of climate change, with frequent disasters and health crises becoming the norm. "With PPAF's support, SCF has established climate-responsive health and sanitation facilities built to function under extreme weather. These low-carbon, solar-powered structures, made from local eco-friendly materials, ensure uninterrupted services," he stated.

He added that drainage trenches have been constructed around BHU Garho to address flooding and waterlogging, ensuring year-round accessibility. He emphasised that public infrastructure should increasingly use local and natural materials to cut carbon emissions and conserve biodiversity.

The ceremony was attended by Thatta Deputy Commissioner Dr Rehana Yasmeen (DDHO Thatta), Assistant Commissioner Ghora Bari Faraz Abbasi, Social Welfare Additional Director KB Bahrani, PPHI District Manager Rehman Gul, and others. Rehman Gul lauded SCF's efforts, saying the solarised systems and sanitation schemes would improve hygiene and ensure continuous healthcare, especially during night-time deliveries.