Date :

30 September 2009

Time :

12:30 – 13:30

Presenters :

Dr David Hemson, Research Director in the Centre for Service Delivery, HSRC

Access to improved water and sanitation is widely regarded as the most significant public health measure available to millions of the world’s poorest. Despite this, assessing the impact of improved water services on the health and wellbeing of beneficiaries is more difficult than it appears. Although to the public the benefits of safe water and improved sanitation appear self-explanatory, governments and donors expect demonstrable results from interventions and investments. Health authorities also expect water service implementation to safeguard particularly rural populations from epidemics of diarrhea and cholera.

In a review of impact evaluation Dr David Hemson discusses the need for sufficient methodological rigour, the limits to surveys, variation by season, and other issues. Strategies particularly to improve impact in health promotion are illustrated particularly from implementation projects in the Eastern Cape and elsewhere involving the HSRC.

Dr David Hemson is a Research Director in the Centre for Service Delivery. He is working in the field of evaluation of water services and in rural development and has co-authored the book, Water and Poverty. He is currently project leader in the implementation project, Accelerating Sustainable Water Service Delivery in the OR Tambo District Municipality.

Kindly RSVP by 28 September 2009

Venues

HSRC Cape Town: 12th Floor, Plein Park Building (Opposite Revenue Office), Plein Street, Cape Town. Contact Ngxubaza Vuyo, on +27 (0)21 466 8099

HSRC Durban: 1st floor boardroom, 750 Francois Road, Ntuthuko Junction, PODS 5 and 6, Cato Manor, Durban. Contact Johannes Khoele on +27 (0)31 242 5400 

HSRC Pretoria: Video Conference Room, 1st floor, HSRC Library, HSRC Building, 134 Pretorius Street Pretoria. Contact Arlene Grossberg on +27 (0)12 302 2801 or Baby Twala on +27 (0)12 302 2368