Paper Title
Assessment of the Accessibility and Condition of Current Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services in Rural Medical Institutions: A Case Study from Central Kazakhstan

Abstract
The accessibility of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in medical institutions is a fundamental element of providing high-quality medical care, as well as the key to fulfilling primary obligations in the field of healthcare. In this regard, the objective of the paper is to assess the level of WASH services in rural medical institutions according to the Joint Monitoring Program ladders for WASH in healthcare facilities. In order to achieve the stated objective, an observational cross-sectional study was conducted under the auspices of the Central District Hospital of the Abay District, located in Central Kazakhstan. The results of the study established that the lower the level of a medical institution, the smaller the number of the population served, and the greater the distance from the city, the lesser interest of responsible persons and control on the part of the state, the consequences of which are the lack of sufficient funding for the development of the WASH infrastructure and the lack of motivation for improving the WASH services among officials and managers of medical institutions located in distant rural areas. The paper proposes to apply an individual approach to each medical institution for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 and SDG 3 with the adherence to the "leave no one behind" principle in rural regions of Kazakhstan. Keywords - Water Supply, Sanitation, Hygiene, Medical Facility, Rural Area