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Recovery after drought in MDA : protecting Health

This text discusses the effects of drought on water supply, health, and the economy in MDA. It also outlines the recovery measures implemented to mitigate these effects and protect the population's health.

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Recovery after drought in MDA : protecting Health

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  1. Recovery after drought in MDA : protecting Health Ion Salaru, National Centre for Preventive Medicine, MoH MDA meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  2. Introduction • MDA is a small country in SEE, size – 33,7 thousands sq. km, 4,1 millions inhabitants, divided into 4 municipalities, incl. capital Chisinau, and 40 districts. Two main water basins - transboundary rivers Dniester and Prut (Danube). For drinking water supply are used 4 water intakes at r. Dniester, 7 at r. Prut, supplying 30% of general population, According to the data from the Ministry of Health, 3315 artesian wells, 116.000 shallow wells and 804DWS systems are in use. • Up to 45% of the general population without access to safe water sources, rural population – 75%. • 55% of the population has connection to DWS systems: 85% urban, 25% rural. Access to improved sanitation systems –42% - 67 in urban and 10% in rural locations • Water management authorities – National Water Agency and 2 basin agencies under construction. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  3. Drought effects • During last 2 years (2006-2007) MDA was affected by severe drought, comparable with registered in 1946-1947 one. The periods with heat waves with canicular temperature (>35oC) became longer: 14 days (7 consecutive) in 2006 and 17 days (10 consecutive) in 2007 during July and August. Drought effects in DW supply sector were more pronounced in 2007, when the average annual temperature was higher with 2,50C than as usual. (Source-Hydrometeo Service). • Water debt decreased in more that 80% of shallow wells form average 3-4 m3 to 1-1,5 m3. • Totally dried over 15% of shallow wells because less precipitations and increased water consumption for hygiene and agricultural needs • Increased water demand up to 50-60% in Chisinau, where the daily water consumption increase from 200-220 th. m3/day to 300 th. m3/day. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  4. Drought – Health effects • In 2006-2007 were reported 3 WBD outbreaks with Shigellosis – 2 in rural area with 25 (contaminated water in shallow wells) and respectively 138 cases (contaminated water in storage reservoirs) and one in urban with 80 cases. • The incidence rate of diarrhoeal increased from 368 cases per 100.000 populations in 2005 and 440 cases in 2007 (Source – Annual reports of the sanitary-epidemiological situation, www.sanepid.md). • More than 20.000 calls to emergency units during heat-waves in 2007 mainly because of cardiovascular problems. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  5. Drought and heat waves – health risks • Detection of E.coli in water samples from shallow wells during summer 2007 increase to 45-60% in rural areas from average value of 30 %. • Surface water quality: % of non-complying water samples on microbial parameters increase from 24% in 2002 to 46% in 2007 in Dniester river and from 33 to 45% on r. Prut. Main causes – discharges with untreated waste waters and decreased self purification process of rivers • Bathing waters: no single national recreational cites allowed for bathing purposes (from 8 existing) during summer 2007 because of poor microbial quality. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  6. Drought – economical effects • Calculated by the Government up to 1 bn USD, • Water scarcity produce high negative impact on food production which affect national food security. • Economical loses of fisheries because of changes in aquatic ecology: increased water temperature, decreased O2 content in many lakes - lower than 1mgO2/l, what cause dramatic decrease of aquatic population in many artificial lakes. • Local tourism affected. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  7. Recovery measures - operational • Hydrometeo issues alerts of EWE to MoH and to other authorities. • Water delivery organized for to the most affected locations, • Developed infrastructure – during 2007 ware built 70 DWS systems and 16 sanitation systems, which offer access to safe water sources for 100.000 population. • Rehabilitation of 6 irrigation systems under Food Security Programme. • Increased monitoring frequency: for drinking waters in rural areas from 1x3monts to once per month during summer; for bathing waters – from once per month to 1x10 days. • Public information campaign – through mass media, also locally – on the wells and in near to recreational sites posted information about water quality and warning on possible health effects. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  8. Recovery measures - tactical • Developing infrastructure - by GD 662 on 13.06.07 approved National Strategy for drinking water supply and sanitation -provides better water management, reforms and capacity building in water sector. • Initiated National Policy Dialogue on IWRM. • Developed and approved by the Ministry of Health a guidebook for the general public on preventing and reducing impact of heat waves. • Action Plan for implementing IHR in MDA, approved by Governmental Decision in April 2008 – framework for managing health security treats. • Development and implementation of Water Safety Plans in pilot locations, to be extended to the whole territory meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  9. Recovery measures - Strategic • By the Climate Change Office at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources developed a Climate scenario for the next 25-50 years. According to this scenario, in Moldova slowly will increase the quantity of precipitations but also will increase temperature – more rapidly, which will maintain risk of water shortage (hydrothermic index will increase). • Harmonization of national legislation: Sanitary norms on drinking water quality adopted in 2007 contain specific requirements for DWS in emergencies, also drafted Water Law, National norms for small and very small drinking water supply systems, Sanitary norms on Drinking Water Quality surveillance - contain a chapter on acting in the case of EWE. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  10. Recovery measures - Strategic • Under development a new Health Information System capable to count health impact because of EWE, with daily evidence on mortality rate and hospital admissions related to climate change health impact (CVD, RD). • Institutional framework - drafted GD for transforming Sanitary Epidemiological Service into Public Health Authority, responsible for designing strategies and measures to prevent and reduce health impact related to EWE. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  11. Weaknesses • No Health Crisis coordination unit in the MoH – no budget for preparedness. • No overall leadership of the health sector at district level for planning and during crisis situation (many vertical health systems). • Local public authorities are not enough prepared to respond to this new situation. • More special actions are necessary. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

  12. More actions to be taken • To find commitment at the national level between responsible authorities to act jointly in the case of EWE. • To establish a modern Early Warning System for EWE. • To finalize Urban Development Plan for National Territory, taking into account Climate Change aspects. meeting on Water Adaptation to Climate Change, Amsterdam, 1-2 July 2008

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