The WHO Regional Office for Europe and the WHO Country Office (WHO CO) in Turkmenistan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan (MoHMIT), conducted a three-day workshop to discuss national priorities for strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities and initiate the pilot implementation of the WHO/UNICEF WASH FIT (Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool) in Turkmenistan.
Taking place from 27 to 29 October in Ashgabat, the event brought together the National experts and technical experts on water, sanitation and hygiene from the WHO European Centre for Environment, Climate Change, and Health, Valentina Grossi and Katarina Paunovic.
Safe water, sanitation, and hygiene in healthcare facilities are essential for preventing infections, protecting patients, healthcare workers and the population. They are a precondition for infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes and an important contribution for efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and preparedness for public health emergencies.
The work builds on the outcomes of a comprehensive situational assessment conducted in Turkmenistan in 2023–2024, which established an evidence base for strengthening services in health-care facilities and identified areas for further improvement, including sanitation, waste management, maintenance, staff training and monitoring. The analysis stressed the need for attention to primary healthcare facilities and rural areas, which will be participating in the WASH FIT pilot implementation.
The event and pilot project was organized with the support of the UNECE‑WHO/Europe project “Equitable access to water and sanitation services for all and in all settings and strengthened climate‑resilience in the water and sanitation sector” (2023–2026), funded under the United Nations Development Account (UNDA) and implemented under the framework of the Protocol on Water and Health.
Strengthening practical skills through WASH FIT
WHO/UNICEF WASH FIT is a risk-based, continuous quality-improvement approach that helps healthcare facilities assess conditions, identify risks, prioritize improvements and monitor progress. It supports facility teams in developing practical improvement plans to strengthen WASH services and the quality and safety of care.
Over three days, participants explored the WASH FIT methodology and its application in different countries, covering water supply, sanitation, hand hygiene, cleaning of premises, healthcare waste management, energy, climate resilience and health emergency preparedness.
Practical sessions enabled participants to apply the tool through group exercises, real-life simulations, and a visit to a healthcare facility, where they assessed conditions, identify risks and consider opportunities for improvement. The final day focused on reviewing the findings and identifying next steps for adapting and piloting WASH FIT in 12 health care facilities in Turkmenistan.
The workshop aimed to translate assessment findings into practical action, consolidate existing achievements, build on strengths and enhance national capacity for systematic WASH monitoring and risk management. Participants identified priority recommendations and discussed institutional responsibilities, resources required for the pilot phase, and ways to align WASH FIT with existing systems for healthcare quality improvement, infection prevention and control, and AMR control.
Through this collaboration, WHO and the MoHMIT are supporting national efforts to improve WASH conditions and strengthen the delivery of patient safety and high-quality health services. ///nCa, 2 November 2026 (in cooperation with WHO Turkmenistan)