Half of health facilities around the world lack basic hygiene services like soap and water, the World Health Organization and UNICEF said in a new report Tuesday.
Why it matters: Poor hygiene conditions put the approximately 3.85 billion people who depend on the facilities at higher risk of disease and infection, according to the WHO and UNICEF.
- The report says unsanitary environments and health workers play a “significant” role in the transmission of pathogens and could prolong health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
What you say: “Healthcare hygiene facilities and practices are non-negotiable. Improving them is critical for recovery, prevention and preparedness for a pandemic,” said Maria Neira, director of the WHO Division for Environment, Climate Change and Health.
- Hospitals and clinics without clean water and basic sanitation are “a potential death trap for pregnant mothers, newborns and children,” said Kelly Ann Naylor, a UNICEF director who oversees risk reduction. She found that around 670,000 newborns die every year from sepsis.
Details: The WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program reports country, regional and global estimates of progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.
- The hygiene report contains data from 40 countries and represents 35% of the world’s population. This is an increase from 21 counties in 2020.
Using the numbers: Only 51% of health centers had point-of-care hygiene facilities and handwashing facilities, meaning the other half did not meet WHO criteria for basic hygiene services.
- 11% of healthcare facilities worldwide – serving around 688 million people – have no sanitation services.
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