SANA'A May 08. 2024 (Saba) - A meeting in Sana'a on Wednesday, chaired by the Minister of Water and Environment in the caretaker government, Eng. Abdul Raqib Al-Sharmani, discussed the mechanism for reviewing the rapid and emergency response plan to combat cholera and limit its spread.
The meeting, which included Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Water Abdul Salam Al-Hakimi, and the teams of UNICEF and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), reviewed the components of the plan and the mechanism for reviewing it in light of the funds available by UNICEF, to conduct the necessary interventions to prevent the spread of cholera, as well as the interventions of UNEPS in supporting the sewage treatment plant in Amanat Al-Asimah to ensure its continued operation.
In the meeting, Minister Al-Sharmani stressed the importance of international organizations and donor partners supporting efforts to combat the spread of cholera, especially UNICEF and UNEP, to implement the rapid and emergency response plan.
He pointed to the importance of redoubling efforts to enhance awareness of the dangers of cholera and how to prevent it by strengthening control over drinking water sources, especially water transfer to homes and public wells, and their examination, sterilization and chlorination.
The Minister of Water in the caretaker government expressed hope that UNICEF will continue to support the implementation of projects supporting local water and sanitation institutions to face the problems they face, especially with regard to fuel for the operation of water well stations, praising UNICEF's continued support for the water and environmental sanitation sectors.
In turn, the Director General of the Local Corporation for Water and Sanitation in the Municipality, Eng. Mohamed Madas, reviewed the difficulties facing the sewage treatment plant in the Municipality, which require the rehabilitation of energy sources and electromechanical equipment and supporting them with sufficient fuel to continue their operation.
Patrick Singai, Director of Water and Environmental Sanitation at UNICEF's Head Office, affirmed the organization's commitment to providing the necessary materials and equipment to operate sewage treatment laboratories in Amanat Al-Asimah as soon as possible, thus contributing to raising its operational capacity in wastewater treatment.
He pointed out that UNICEF will support the efforts and activities of the Ministry of Water in combating cholera and limiting its spread.
For his part, the representative of UNEP, Amin Qassem, stressed the commitment to provide diesel to the sewage treatment plant in the municipality and to implement the necessary interventions in it to ensure the stability of its work in partnership with UNICEF.
The meeting concluded with the formation of a joint technical committee of the relevant authorities to confront cholera around the clock.
E.M
resource : Saba
