1 in 4 Health Care Facilities Lacks Basic Water Services

One in four health care facilities lack basic water services with at least 2 billion people affected while one in five have no sanitation service affecting at least 1.5 billion people.

Many people around the world are being served by health care facilities that lack hand hygiene and health care waste facilities according to a new report by WHO and UNICEF.

The report dubbed WASH in Health Care Facilities further reveals that many health centers lack basic facilities for hand hygiene and safe segregation and disposal of health care waste.

These services are crucial to preventing infections, reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance and providing quality care, particularly for safe childbirth.

The report found that just half or 55 percent of health care facilities in the least Developed Countries (LDCs) had basic water services. It is estimated that 1 in 5 births globally takes place in LDCs, and that, each year, 17 million women in these countries give birth in health centers with inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene.

“Water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities are the most basic requirements of infection prevention and control, and of quality care. They are fundamental to respecting the dignity and human rights of every person who seeks health care and of health workers themselves,” said António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.  “I call on people everywhere to support an action for WASH in all health care facilities.  This is essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”

In an accompanying report, Water, sanitation, and Hygiene in Health care facilities: Practical steps to achieve universal access for quality care notes that more than 1 million deaths each year are associated with unclean births. Infections account for 26 percent of neonatal deaths and 11 percent of maternal mortality.

“Imagine giving birth or taking your sick child to a health center with no safe water, toilets or handwashing facilities,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “That’s the reality for millions of people every day. No one should have to do that, and no health worker should have to provide care in those circumstances. Ensuring that all health care facilities have basic water, sanitation and hygiene services is essential for achieving a healthier, safer, fairer world.”

According to UNICEF, 7,000 newborn babies died every day in 2017, mostly from preventable and treatable conditions including infections like sepsis. As part of its Every Child Alive Campaign, UNICEF is calling for governments and authorities to make sure every mother and baby have access to affordable, quality care.

Last year, Fore and Dr. Tedros called on countries to strengthen their primary health care systems as an essential step toward achieving universal health coverage.