UNICEF supports improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in Karakalpakstan

Along with the WASH facilities, UNICEF piloted the first environment-friendly frictional heat machine with an integrated shredder to treat infectious medical waste and consumables in Karakalpakstan. These machines are innovative since they do not create hazardous carcinogenic toxins associated with burning medical waste. Additionally, the sterilized medical waste produced can be used as a base material for construction or added to domestic waste collection wastes for landfill disposal.

“To reduce the environmental impact of medical waste, UNICEF designed a comprehensive initiative on healthcare waste management system in the country by helping to align relevant policies and standard operating procedures with international standards and best practices," said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Uzbekistan.” Investments in effective and climate-friendly waste management will eliminate indirect and direct risk factors to human health and the environment,” he added.

It is expected that improved WASH services will contribute to providing better health services in healthcare facilities and create enabling education environment in schools. UNICEF applied innovative solutions for WASH facilities by installing solar panels, solar water heaters, reverse osmosis systems for clean drinking water and three-step septic tanks for safe management of sewage water, as well as steam wave health care waste management equipment.

UNICEF also trained over 400 healthcare workers on WASH and Infection Prevention and Control in healthcare facilities. Over 750 schoolteachers and 16,000 school children have undergone health sessions on WASH and nutrition topics.

“Our continued partnership with UNICEF is pivotal in improving the health of the population and children in Karakalpakstan. We significantly improved the mothers' and newborns' health in the region, and now we are investing in improving WASH infrastructure and Health Care Waste Management systems in healthcare facilities and schools,” said Mr. Murad Kurbanov, Minister of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

WASH infrastructure improvement intervention is a part of the UNICEF-led UN Joint Programme “Investing in a resilient future of Karakalpakstan by improving health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene and wellbeing of adolescents and by harnessing the talents of youth during and after COVID- 19”. The joint programme is funded by UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea region in Uzbekistan with a budget of USD 3,550,273 for the period of January 2021- December 2022.

About UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region in Uzbekistan

The UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region in Uzbekistan (MPHSTF), established under the auspices of the United Nations in late 2018, provides an integrated platform for national and international cooperation to address the ecological and socio-economic needs of

communities living in the Aral Sea region, as well as to accelerate joint efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. For more information, please visit: https://www.aral.mptf.uz/.

For media queries, please contact: 

Sagitjan Aytjanov

WASH Officer, UNICEF Uzbekistan

Phone: +998 93 505 52 57

E-mail: saytjanov@unicef.org

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Nargiza Egamberdieva

Communication Officer, UNICEF Uzbekistan

Phone: +998 71 233 95 12

E-mail: negamberdieva@unicef.org