Assessment of water, sanitation and hygiene situation in rural medical institutions of Karaganda region for effective response to COVID-19 pandemic

AP09058465

Objective: To develop recommendations to improve access to adequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in rural medical institutions to prevent and control COVID-19, improve the quality of health care and protect medical personnel.

Relevance

Outbreaks of infectious diseases and fatal epidemics will continue until WASH infrastructure and community hygiene skills improve. COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed this hypothesis, since hand hygiene is an important element in containing it. The lack of data on WASH services in medical institutions by region and on a nationwide scale is currently an obstacle to an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Kazakhstan. An analysis of the situation with an up-to-date assessment of current WASH services will help develop recommendations for improving access to them and contribute to sustainable results in the fight against COVID-19 in rural medical institutions.

Available research results indicate the presence and possibility of development of both early and long-term consequences of coronavirus infection, which necessitates further study of the pathogenetic mechanisms of development, prognostic markers of unfavorable outcome, features of clinical manifestations, and complications against the background of COVID-19.

Expected results

This project will assess the level of WASH in rural medical institutions according to the hierarchical ladder of WASH services proposed in Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) by the WHO and UNICEF, satisfaction of patients and staff with the current access to and quality of WASH services by district and season, and WASH biosafety by district. This type of assessment will help determine the starting point from which to move to achieve sustainable results in the fight against COVID-19, as well as compare the current situation and the progress being made between regions. Based on the findings, some recommendations will be developed to improve access to adequate WASH conditions for the prevention and control of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in rural medical institutions. These recommendations will be used in the state policy concerning the access to rural health care and its quality, protection of patients and staff, and prevention of virus transmission. It will also help activate and elaborate the actions across a wide range of COVID-19 prevention and control initiatives and the response to healthcare emergencies. Thereby, it will increase resistance to other potentially pandemic infections and diseases to which rural people in developing countries may be exposed. Improving access to WASH services and the quality of services in medical institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which in turn will lead to improved health and quality of life and sustainable development of rural regions of the country, will provide both social and economic benefits.

  1. A.O. Omarova – PhD, Acting Head of the Department of Scientific Work of the Institute of Life Sciences NC JSC «KMU», the manager of the project. Scopus Author ID: 56099957900. Link to the profile in Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56099957900 Web of Science Researcher ID: AAR-6826-2020. Link to the profile in Web of Science: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/%20AAR-6826-2020ORCID ID: 0000-0002-2087-3824. Ссылка на ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2087-3824
  2. I.A. Belyaev – PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Biomedicine NC JSC «KMU». Scopus Author ID: 55935731100. Link to the profile in Scopus: https://https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55935731100ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3373-2059. Link to the ORCID: https://https://https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3373-2059
  3. N.Zh. Yerdessov – master of Medical Sciences in “Medical and Preventative Care”, Assistant Professor at the School of Public Health NC JSC «KMU». Scopus Author ID: 57547933600. Link to the profile in Scopus:https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57547933600 Web of Science Researcher ID: IQW-9082-2023. Link to the profile in Web of Science:https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/IQW-9082-2023ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8095-3140 .Ссылка на ORCID:https://https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8095-3140
  4. Ch.U. Ismailov – master of Medical Sciences in “Public Health”, Research Manager of the Sanitary and Hygienic Research Laboratory of the Institute of Public Health and Occupational Health NC JSC «KMU». ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4766-7115.Link to the ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4766-7115
  5. Zh.T. Amirhanova – master of Natural Sciences in “Biology”, Lecturer of the Department of Biomedicine NC JSC «KMU». ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5487-3574.Link to the ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5487-3574
  6. A.D. Abdrahmanov – master “Public Health Management”, Assistant of the Department of Family Medicine NC JSC «KMU».
  7. A.B. Koshmaganbetova – a specialist in the block of the registrar's office of the Department of Academic Works of NC JSC «KMU»
List of publications by members of the research group
  1. Omarova A., Tussupova K., Berndtsson R., Kalishev M., Sharapatova K. Protozoan Parasites in Drinking Water: A System Approach for Improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Developing Countries // International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. –2018. – №15(3). – E495. doi:10.3390/ijerph15030495. (IF=2.44 в Web of Science and Scopus; квартиль-Q1 (процентиль-83) по общественному здравоохранению, охране окружающейсреды и гигиене труда).
  2. Omarova A., Tussupova K., Hjorth P., Kalishev M., Dosmagambetova R. Water Supply Challenges in Rural Areas: A Case Study from Central Kazakhstan // International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. – 2019. – №16(5). – E688. doi:10.3390/ijerph16050688. (IF=2.81 в Web of Science and Scopus; квартиль-Q1 (процентиль84) по общественному здравоохранению, охране окружающей среды и гигиене труда).
  3. Omarova A., Tussupova K. The future of piped water in villages in low- and middleincome countries // European Journal of Public Health. – 2018. – Vol.28, Suppl.4. – P. 336-337.doi.org/10.1093/EURPUB/CKY214.081 (IF=2.234 в Web of Science; квартиль-Q2 по общественному здравоохранению, охране окружающей среды и гигиене труда).
  4. Беляев И.А., Беляев А.М Чувствительность пневмококков к антимикробным препаратам по данным исследования, проведенного в Центральном Казахстане // Georgian medical news. – 2017. – №1(262). - Р.101-106.
  5. Ибраев С.А., Жарылкасын Ж.Ж., Отаров Е.Ж., Исмаилов Ч.У. Современные аспекты профессионального риска у лиц умственного труда // Международный журнал прикладных и фундаментальных исследований. – 2017. – № 3 (часть 1) – С. 62-65.
  6. Anastassiya A. Mashentseva, Milana A. Ibragimova, Saule B. Akhmetova, L.Kozlovskiy, Maxim V. Zdorovets, Zhanerke T. Amirkhanova. Synthesis, radical scavenging, andantimicrobial activities of core–shell Au/Ni microtubes // Chemical Papers. – 2020. – V.74. – P.2189-2199

Based on the results obtained over the entire period of the study and their analysis, scientifically based recommendations have been compiled to improve access to appropriate WASH conditions for the prevention and control of COVID–19 in rural medical institutions.

A methodological recommendation has been developed and approved on the topic "Guidelines for improving access to adequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), for the prevention and control of infectious diseases in rural medical institutions". This guide may be useful to residents of rural localities, which will increase their awareness in the field of WASH, through the transfer of knowledge and the development of hand-washing skills according to the protocol, in accordance with the instructions of health experts.

The target consumers are specialists of sanitary and epidemiological surveillance organizations, regional health management and environmental monitoring. In addition, the materials of the research work are also available to students and the teaching staff of «KMU» NP JSC and are used in the educational process.
Scientific publications within the framework of the project.
    Published in 2021:
  1. Omarova A.O., Belyayev I.A., Akhmetova S.B., Yerdesov N.Zh., Ismailov Ch.U.,Kharin A.D. Challenges of microbiological safety of water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Literature review // Наука и Здравоохранение. - 2021. - №4 (Т.23). - С.46-57 (рекомендованный КОКСНВО МНВО РК)
  2. Omarova A. Analysis of the current situation with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in rural hospitals // European Journal of Public Health. - 2021. Vol.31, Suppl.3. - P. 129. doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.340 (IF=2,391 в Web of Science; квартиль-Q1 по общественному здравоохранению, охране окружающей среды и гигиене труда)
    3. Published in 2022:
  3. Akhmetova S.B., Belyayev I.A., Omarova A.O., Amirkhanova Zh.T. The Study of Microbial Contamination of Water and Sanitary Facilities in the Karaganda Regional Hospitals; During Different Seasons // Вестник Карагандинского университета. Серия Биология. Медицина. География. – 2022. - №4(108). – С.21-30. (рекомендованный КОКСНВО МНВОРК)
  4. Omarova A., Yerdessov N. Assessment of the Accessibility and Condition of Current Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services in Rural Medical Institutions: A Case Study from Central Kazakhstan // Proceedings of Academics World International Conference. – Paris, France, 12th –13th December, 2022. – P. 8-11.
  5. Омарова А.О., Ердесов Н.Ж. Проблема обеспеченности сельского населения Республики Казахстан питьевой водой // Cборник научных трудов 9-ой республиканской научно-практической конференции с международным участием «Актуальные проблемы охраны окружающей среды и здоровье человека». - г. Ташкент, Республика Узбекистан, 2022. – С. 67-70.
    6. Published in 2023:
  6. Ердесов Н.Ж., Омарова А.О., Исмаилов Ч.У. Обеспеченность услугами водоснабжения и водоотведения в Карагандинской области // Вестник Карагандинского университета. Серия Биология. Медицина. География. – 2023. - №3(111). – С. 216-223. (рекомендованный КОКСНВО МНВО РК)