WASH Cluster Water YEMEN WASH Cluster COVID-19 Bulletin 1 October 2020

WASH is a key preventative measure in reducing the spread of Key Messages: COVID-19 and is one of the principal recommendations. • A WASH Response is a COVID Response The severity of the current response to COVID-19 poses grave detri- • Scale up Community prevention; Shielding high-risk persons mental impacts on WASH service provision and sustainability if not • Saving lives starts in communities adequately mitigated. Equitable access to WASH commodities and • Urgent funds needed for emergency WASH services must be protected and extended for all, without any form of • Continuing WASH with adapted programing in COVID-19 discrimination by nationality, income or ethnicity. • Support the Health strategy

Adaptive Response

Al-Tawlaki water source in Milahn, Al Mahwit is a running spring that is located between two mountains at the top of a very dangerous slope, with a rugged, high, narrow and steep route; usually far and fatal for pedestrians for those who goes to fetch water. In the rainy seasons however, the source becomes pollut- ed and swept away due the torrential rains depriving over 850 people from accessing to water. YDN suc- ceeded to facilitate access to clean water in an easy and safe way, by rehabilitating the water source and protecting it from and building a collection tank which is connected to the source by pipes. In addition, YDN has also constructed several water distribution points with 12 faucets enabling people for better and safe access to clean water. Read More...

Infection Prevention and Control

Protecting Wastewater Professionals from Covid-19 and Other Biological Hazards A primary source of viruses that are infectious to humans is human waste discharged to the collections system. There are more than 100 differ- ent types of viruses found in human waste; some of which are more persistent in wastewater. Therefore, wastewater personnel have a higher potential for exposure to these viruses because of their daily contact with wastewater. The Water Environment Federation (WEF) was prompted to conduct a critical review of pathways of potential exposure to the virus causing the COVID-19 disease that is associated with the collection and treatment of wastewater. Read More... Risk Communication and Community Engagement Key findings of the assessment: In July 2020, UNICEF conducted the 2nd round of KAP assessment • Knowledge on COVID-19 generally improved compared to round 1 to monitor knowledge, attitudes and practice levels related to • Top 3 main sources of information remain TV, WhatsApp, Social Media COVID-19 in Yemen, with focus on: • Most trusted sources are TV, Social Media, WhatsApp and volunteers • Knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, transmission and prevention. • Respondents’ ratio who think they will likely get infected has increased • Sources of information. • Gap between respondent’s knowledge and practice of preventive measures • Risk Perception. • Majority of the respondents would not be ashamed or afraid to tell anyone • Information gap of respondents. More Information... from their communities if they got infected with the virus. Joint Market Monitoring Initiative Propor�on of Vendors able to absorb a 50% and 100% YEMEN COVID-19 JMMI, 9 - 17 AUGUST 2020 KEY FINDINGS: increase in demand for key items 100 90 • Sana’a city has recorded the highest cost of a cubic meter of water trucking 80 70 60 causing an increase in WASH SMEB cost in the governorate. 50 40 30 • Price inflation remains the most commonly reported economic issue when 20 10 obtaining fuel, WASH, food items, and water trucking services. 20-Mar Apr R1-20 Apr R2-20 May R1- May R2- Jun R1-20 Jun R2-20 Jul R1-20 Jul R2-20 Aug R1-20 20 20 • Exchange rates continue to differ across the country. The highest 50% Fuel 100% Fuel 50% WASH NFIs 100% WASH NFIs exchange rates were reported in Aden and Abyan. More Information... 50% Water Trucking 100% Water Trucking 50% Food 100% Food Global Handwashing Day (GHD) - October 15 Global Handwashing Day is an advocacy day to increase awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap. It is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encour- Gaps and Challenges: age people to their hands with soap at critical times. The theme, Hand Hygiene for All, calls for all society to achieve universal hand • Emergency WASH to close due to funding gaps hygiene. Share your plans and ideas for global hand-washing day! • WASH for IDPs Site, Cholera and Urban Water on verge of stopping The Global Handwashing Partnership's new publication, the Hand- • Gaps in Supplies; Hygiene, COVID and Cholera Kits washing Handbook, is a go-to resource, presenting best practices and • Reduced Health seeking behaviors; Focus on RCCE and Health support new concepts to improve the uptake of handwashing. A weekly learning • Humanitarian situation likely to deteriorate further due to Covid-19 series has started to give an overview and examples of the various topics from the handbook. Register Here! More Resources: Contacts: • Yemen WASH Cluster • Faecal-Oral Transmission of COVID-19 etuck@.org [email protected] • IEC Materials • Inclusive COVID-19 Programming [email protected] [email protected] • Yemen Joint Market Monitoring Initiative [email protected]