March 2013: The World Health Organization (WHO) has worked with the Government of Mauritania to improve the quality of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, decentralize water quality control management and manage medical waste in Assaba, Brakna and Traarza, three southern provinces that are among the areas most vulnerable to climate change.

This project aims to address water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) concerns within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

According to WHO, Mauritania’s 20 years of drought resulted in nomadic populations settling in rural areas and cities that have limited access to clean water and sanitation, which contributes to diseases and health risks, particularly affecting children.

WHO estimates that 90% of annual deaths from diarrheal diseases result from poor WASH. To tackle this problem, WHO raised awareness on hand washing and hygiene, and installed water basins in schools. Further, street vendors who sell to schools also improved their hygiene and the quality of food that they sell. These interventions have reduced student absences from water-borne illnesses.

To address water quality control, WHO converted a Land Rover into a mobile water control laboratory, in an effort to help health authorities to intervene quickly during times of crisis, particularly in remote rural areas. The project has also established eight regional laboratories and trained government officials in the Ministries of Health, Sanitation and Water to monitor water quality.

Through the project, health centers installed six biomedical waste incinerators to create a healthier environment and minimize air, soil and water contamination from infectious micro-organisms. WHO also trained health personnel in medical waste management to ensure long-term implementation of these practices. [WHO Press Release]