One in four health care facilities has no hand hygiene facilities at points of care as around 1.8 billion people risk Covid-19 and other diseases, WHO and UNICEF revealed in a new report.
The global organisations noted in the report, Global progress report on WASH in health care facilities: fundamentals first, key vulnerabilities within health systems, including inadequate infection prevention and control.
Development Diaries understands that 760,000 facilities were surveyed in 165 countries.
According to the report, one in three health care facilities does not have access to hand hygiene where care is provided, one in ten has no sanitation services, and one in three does not segregate waste safely.
‘Working in a health care facility without water, sanitation and hygiene is akin to sending nurses and doctors to work without personal protective equipment’, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.
‘Water supply, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities are fundamental to stopping Covid-19. But there are still major gaps to overcome, particularly in least developed countries’.
The report noted that in the world’s 47 least developed countries (LDCs), which includes 33 African nations, one in two health care facilities does not have basic drinking water.
‘Sending health care workers and people in need of treatment to facilities without clean water, safe toilets, or even soap puts their lives at risk’, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.
‘This was certainly true before the Covid-19 pandemic, but this year has made these disparities impossible to ignore’.
The report’s preliminary estimates indicate that it would cost roughly one dollar per capita to enable all 47 LDCs to establish basic water service in health facilities.
The organisations called for immediate, incremental investments in WASH, adding that ‘improving hygiene in health care facilities is a “best buy” for tackling antimicrobial resistance’.
‘It reduces health care costs because it reduces health-care associated infections (which are costly to treat). It saves time as health workers do not have to search for water for hand hygiene.
‘Better hygiene also increases uptake of services. This all adds up to a return of USD 1.5 for every dollar invested’.
With regard to recommendations, the organanisations advised countries to implement costed national roadmaps with appropriate financing; and monitor and regularly review progress in improving WASH services, practices and the enabling environment.
They also advised countries to develop capacities of health workforce to sustain WASH services and promote and practice good hygiene; and integrate WASH into regular health sector planning, budgeting, and programming.
Source: UNICEF
Photo source: World Bank Photo Collection
