The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) reported in a recent study that what has been agreed worldwide regarding handwashing with soap and water as the best prevention against COVID-19 infection, might be a complicated mission in the region where 74 million people lack access to a basic handwashing facility.
ESCWA predicts that demand on water for handwashing will increase by 9 to 12 liters per person on daily basis, not to mention laundry, cleaning and food washing demands. This amounts to an average daily increase of household water demand by 4 million to 5 million cubic meters.
"The situation is further exacerbated by insufficient piped water supply in 10 of the 22 Arab countries," the UN agency said in its report.
According to the study, almost 87 million people in the region are at a greater risk of infection because they also lack access to an improved drinking water source in their homes and are forced to collect water daily from a public source. This is especially serious for women and girls in rural, peri-urban areas and informal settlements, who usually undertake the water collection task.
For her part, ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti stressed the need to ensure that everyone has access to needed services.
“It is urgent to ensure access to clean water and sanitation services to everyone everywhere, at no cost for those who cannot afford it, in order to avoid further spread of the coronavirus,” she noted.
Several Governments and utility operators have taken extraordinary measures to reconnect services and waive tariffs for an interim period to alleviate economic hardship: this should be emulated in all Arab countries, according to the study, which said that refugees and people living in conflict areas or under occupation bear an additional burden.
"In the Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, only 1 in 10 households has access to clean water. An estimated 26 million refugees and internally displaced persons in the region are also at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 due to lack of adequate water, sanitation and hygiene services," the study concluded.
ESCWA further called for boosting assurance measures on water and wastewater treatment systems, as poor water quality raises contagion risks.
