Laos expands clean water access in remote areas
VIENTIANE, June 25, (Xinhua): Lao authorities are partnering with development partners to ensure year-round access to safe and sustainable water in remote and climate-vulnerable areas, supporting national goals for water security, public health, and climate resilience. Laos' Ministry of Health and CARE International in Laos signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to expand access to safe and sustainable water in vulnerable communities in northern Laos' Phongsaly province.
The five-year project will benefit about 14,658 people in 15 communities across two districts of Phongsaly, some 750 km north of the Lao capital Vientiane. It aims to provide year-round access to clean drinking water for every household by developing sustainable, locally appropriate water supply systems and strengthening community capacity to manage and maintain them over time.
In addition to infrastructure, the initiative will introduce climate-resilient strategies, including community-led forest and watershed protection efforts to preserve water sources. It will also strengthen local knowledge, governance, and technical skills at both village and district levels. The project also aims to support long-term water security, public health, and environmental sustainability.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
17 hours ago
- Arab Times
Laos expands clean water access in remote areas
VIENTIANE, June 25, (Xinhua): Lao authorities are partnering with development partners to ensure year-round access to safe and sustainable water in remote and climate-vulnerable areas, supporting national goals for water security, public health, and climate resilience. Laos' Ministry of Health and CARE International in Laos signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to expand access to safe and sustainable water in vulnerable communities in northern Laos' Phongsaly province. The five-year project will benefit about 14,658 people in 15 communities across two districts of Phongsaly, some 750 km north of the Lao capital Vientiane. It aims to provide year-round access to clean drinking water for every household by developing sustainable, locally appropriate water supply systems and strengthening community capacity to manage and maintain them over time. In addition to infrastructure, the initiative will introduce climate-resilient strategies, including community-led forest and watershed protection efforts to preserve water sources. It will also strengthen local knowledge, governance, and technical skills at both village and district levels. The project also aims to support long-term water security, public health, and environmental sustainability.
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Kuwait calls for unified Gulf efforts to expand Healthy Cities initiative
KUWAIT: A senior Kuwaiti health official has emphasized the need for unified Gulf efforts to accelerate progress in the Healthy Cities initiative, a regional program that integrates health into urban planning to improve quality of life and drive sustainable development. Speaking at the 24th meeting of the GCC Joint Committee on Healthy Cities, Dr Amal Al-Yahya, Director of the Ministry of Health's Healthy Cities Department, said cross-border collaboration and coordination among sectors are critical for advancing public health, expanding community participation, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 'The Healthy Cities initiative offers a powerful platform for joint action between ministries, municipalities, civil society, and the private sector,' Dr Al-Yahya said. 'It enables us to create environments that support health, sustainability and social equity.' The meeting, attended by Gulf representatives, focused on advancing health-promoting commercial complexes — malls and markets designed with public health in mind — and moving from national pilot projects to a unified GCC-wide approach. Dr Al-Yahya noted that achieving this requires good planning, capacity building, and the adoption of standardized models and evaluation mechanisms. The committee reviewed recommendations from the Second Kuwait Healthy Cities Conference held in February and explored how to translate those into actionable plans. Dr Al-Yahya emphasized the need to register more cities under WHO's Healthy Cities framework and strengthen the role of civil society in supporting long-term health and environmental outcomes. Kuwait's Healthy Cities Kuwait is steadily expanding its participation in the WHO Regional Network of Healthy Cities, with Fintas becoming the country's 21st registered area earlier this week. The signing ceremony, led by Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Humoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, was attended by Dr Al-Yahya, who confirmed Fintas' official inclusion. According to the Ministry of Health, the Healthy Cities initiative in Kuwait goes beyond traditional healthcare settings by addressing social determinants of health — such as urban design, education, and access to green spaces — that impact daily life. According to the United Nations, a 'healthy city' is not one that is already healthy, but one that commits to improving the living environment for all residents. The WHO defines such cities as places that prioritize health in urban planning, promote community participation, and support equitable access to services. In practical terms, this translates into cleaner air, accessible public spaces, walkable neighborhoods, better waste management, and greater community voice in local planning. It also means investing in infrastructure that encourages healthy lifestyles — like bike lanes, green areas, and inclusive services for youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities. As Kuwait moves forward with its goal to increase the number of certified healthy cities to 10 fully recognized urban areas, it is also pushing complementary programs like health-promoting universities, elderly-friendly public infrastructure, and smart, sustainable retail spaces. — Agencies
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Kuwait, WHO launch research partnership to combat drug resistance
KUWAIT: Kuwait is taking steps to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global health threat, through a strategic research partnership between the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), the Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organization (WHO). A preparatory meeting was held on Tuesday to set the stage for a series of collaborative scientific and technical initiatives aimed at enhancing public health research and policy coordination under the 'One Health' approach, which considers human, animal, and environmental health as interlinked. The meeting brought together key stakeholders from across Kuwait's scientific and health institutions, marking the first step in implementing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed earlier this year between KISR and WHO. The MoU, finalized in January 2025, focuses on strengthening national research capacity to tackle complex public health issues, particularly communicable diseases (such as diabetes and obesity), environmental pollution, pandemic preparedness, and AMR. Dr Faisal Al-Humaidan, Acting Director General of KISR, highlighted the urgency of addressing AMR and praised the collaborative framework being established through this partnership. 'The spread of antimicrobial resistance poses a serious risk to the quality of life, the effectiveness of healthcare services, and the financial sustainability of national resources,' he told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). 'This cooperation will contribute to translating research findings into scientifically based policies that can improve the health situation in the country.' Dr Al-Humaidan also acknowledged the Ministry of Health's strong engagement in the initiative, particularly the contributions of Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Affairs, Dr Al-Munther Al-Hasawi, and the Antimicrobial Resistance Unit at the Kuwait Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Their involvement, he said, underscores the national commitment to proactively address AMR as a priority health issue. Also speaking at the meeting, Dr Abdullah Al-Enezi, Acting Executive Director of the Environment and Life Sciences Research Center at KISR, described AMR as one of the most pressing health challenges facing Kuwait and the region. 'The ability to confront AMR depends on building a strong scientific knowledge base and using it to develop and implement sound public health strategies,' he said. Dr. Al-Enezi also noted the important role played by national institutions such as the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, which has provided continued support for research in this field. Representing the WHO, Dr Assad Hafeez emphasized the significance of integrating local and international efforts to tackle AMR through the One Health approach. 'This successful cooperation between national and international institutions is a practical step toward building a comprehensive national system to confront antimicrobial resistance,' he said in a press release. 'WHO is fully committed to supporting Kuwait in turning this vision into reality by translating scientific findings into concrete, effective policies and practices.' The meeting included representatives from several prominent Kuwaiti entities involved in health, research, and environmental management, including Kuwait University's Faculty of Medicine, the Environment Public Authority, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, and the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources. Participants discussed initial frameworks for cooperation, identified priority research areas, and explored pathways for translating scientific outputs into actionable health policies. The initiative aligns with global efforts to curb the spread of resistant pathogens, which are increasingly undermining the effectiveness of antibiotics and other antimicrobial treatments. According to health experts, failure to act now could result in a future where common infections become harder — and in some cases impossible — to treat, leading to longer illnesses, more hospitalizations, and higher mortality rates. — Agencies
