Enhanced water quality control and access to safe drinking water in earthquake affected Governorates ltp class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:9.95ptmargin-right:0inmargin-bottom:
9.95ptmargin-left:0in"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"gtThe recent earthquake has
had a devastating impact on water and sanitation infrastructure. Preliminary
information shows that the already fragile conflict-affected water and
sanitation infrastructures were extensively affected, with reports of damage
and collapse of water reservoirs, water towers, water stations, network and of
sanitation facilities and systems (Latakia, Tartous, Idlib, Hama, Aleppo
Governorates). Widespread reports of an increase in the turbidity of water lta name="_Int_9jsHYtUm"gtbearslt/agt the risk of ineffectual water treatment and
subsequent poor health outcomes particularly in areas already battling choleralt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gt. lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gtWith the cholera outbreak that was announced in Sep
2022 across Syria, and given that water quality has been significantly impacted because of the earthquake,  the risk of wide spread of water transmitted
diseases is heightened, therefore there is a critical need to continue the
efforts of water quality testing, and water quality strengthening in earthquake
affected governorates to prevent further deterioration of population wellbeing.
lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gtlt/spangtlt/pgt

ltp class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.95pt"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gtUnder this project WHO will complement its post-earthquake
response in monitoring the quality of drinking water and enhance water quality
at community level, shelters, and across health facilities by implementing the
following:lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gtlt/spangtlt/pgt

ltp class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9.95pt 17.95pt"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"gt-lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gt     Enhance
testing capacity of water for 3 laboratories affiliated to Ministry of Health (MoH) in Aleppo, Hama
and Latakia through provision of critically needed laboratories' equipment reagent
and supplies. lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gtlt/spangtlt/pgt

ltp class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9.95pt 17.95pt"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"gt-lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gt     Training
and deploying 3 water quality monitoring field teams and providing them with
rapid water quality testing kits to further strengthen of water quality
monitoring across affected governorateslt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gtlt/spangtlt/pgt

ltp class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 9.95pt 17.95pt"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"gt-lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gt     Provide water purification tablets to address any contamination in
drinking water detected in affected areas.lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gtlt/spangtlt/pgt

ltp class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.95pt"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gtWHO selected the listed activities under this project after
carefully considering the potential risks that might affect the smooth
implementation, including the potential protection risks (GBV, security risks,
incompliance with PSEA code of conduct), operational risks (delay of approvals,
fluctuation of exchange rate), needs assessment and prioritization of water
quality surveillance and monitoring by both MoWR and MoH, and other risks with
several measures applied as a mitigation.  lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gtlt/spangtlt/pgt

ltp class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:9.95pt"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gtProtection and Gender elements were fully considered in proposed
activities which fully promote the equity concept by equally supporting all in
need among population groups specially those hosed in temporary shelters.
 lt/spangtltspan lang="EN-US"gtlt/spangtlt/pgt

ltp class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:nonetext-autospace:none"gtltspan lang="EN-US" style=""gtThe localization approach is the main foundation of the proposal,
as WHO will scale up local capacities of water quality testing across affected
communities. The proposed WHO interventions will contribute to ensuring the safety of drinking water provided  to affected communities in areas where water
systems are no longer operational / service provision disrupted and in
collective shelters.lt/spangtlt/pgtltp class="sceditor-nlf"gtltbrgtlt/pgt