United Nations Joint Programme: Sustaining Livelihoods Affected by the Aral Sea Disaster

After flying over the Aral Sea during an April 2010 visit to Uzbekistan, the United Nations Secretary General described it as “one of the world's worst environmental disasters” and stated that he was left feeling deeply shocked and saddened. The man-made environmental disaster affecting the areas surrounding the Aral Sea in Karakalpakstan, in the far west of Uzbekistan, has had a devastating effect on human security in this region. 

Once one of  the world’s largest lakes, the Aral Sea has shrunk in size by more than 70% due to the diversion of tributary rivers for irrigation projects. Income poverty, lack of food security, exposure to dust storms and deterioration of the quality of drinking water are together negatively impacting the health status of the local population. This is reflected in high rates of anaemia among children under five (36%) and pregnant women (64.8%) , the spread of tuberculosis and the growing incidence of multidrug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, as well as elevated rates of respiratory infections and kidney stones. 

Addressing the problem 

Since Uzbekistan became independent in 1991 the Aral Sea Basin has been one of the Government's main priorities, with various initiatives implemented over the years. In a joint WHO/German Environment Ministry (BMU) project from June 2009 to December 2011, for example, WHO assisted local authorities in implementing the Practical Approach to Lung Health (PAL) strategy. Despite positive results of these initiatives, the scale of the problem and the fact that several of the projects are due to finish in the near future point to the need for further assistance. 

Following the United Nations Secretary General's visit, the three-year project Sustaining Livelihoods Affected by the Aral Sea Disaster was developed involving five United Nations agencies. The Joint Programme will run from March 2012 to February 2015 with funding from the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security.

One of the main objectives of the project is to build the capacity of primary health care workers to address the health consequences of the environmental disaster and the enhanced economic insecurity in ten target districts with a specific focus on addressing the needs of young people. WHO is playing a leading role in the health sector activities of this project. 

WHO activities 

According to the plan developed by WHO, a guideline on the PAL strategy for nurses will be developed during the first year of the project (March 2012 to March 2013), followed in the second and third years by training of 120 nurses in accordance with the new guideline. Training on the PAL strategy will also be organized for 170 general practitioners. Procurement of five medical ventilation apparatus is expected in the third year. 

WHO is also focusing on air quality activities within the project and plans to organize air quality monitoring in Karakalpakstan in coordination with national authorities.