Ulaanbaatar
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene services being improved in three aimags
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Ministries of Finance and Health and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed a trilateral agreement in 2019 to implement the USD 4.5 million project ‘Community-based Climate Resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Interventions in Mongolia’ in Bayankhongor, Gobi-Altai, and Zavkhan aimags in 2019-2021 through joint efforts of KOICA and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Head of the project consultancy committee, Deputy Minister of Health Sh.Ankhmaa, deputy head of the committee, UNICEF Representative Alex Heikens, committee members, Health Ministry officials, governors of the three aimags, and KOICA representatives had an online meeting on December 2. In 2020, as part of the project, a total of 92 WASH facilities have been either upgraded or newly built at schools, kindergartens, dormitories, and health centers in 50 soums of Bayankhongor, Gobi-Altai, and Zavkhan aimags, thus ensuring safe water and improved sanitation.
Moreover, 11 groundwater wells have been established and smart water kiosks that enable people to get water 24/7 have been introduced in 10 soums in an effort to improve local water sources and sanitary public baths have been built in the capitals of 8 soums. The project that has so far benetifed over 120,000 residents of the three aimags plays an important role in ensuring healthy and safe living environment for the citizens in the target aimags.
The project stakeholders’ meeting discussed the implementation of the 2020 project plan and the project plan for 2021 and the project governing body gave instructions to bring the good practices to other aimags, put emphasis on providing support to cope with challenges, and undertake the actions planned for the next year successfully within the time frame.
