Progress on WASH in health care facilities 2000-2021: Special focus on WASH and infection prevention
Overview
In March 2018, the Secretary-General of the United Nations launched a global call to action for WASH in all health care facilities, noting that health care facilities are essential tools in reducing disease, and that without basic WASH services, health care facilities can instead contribute to more infections, prolonged hospital stays and preventable deaths, including of mothers and babies. This call was answered in a May 2019 World Health Assembly resolution5 calling on countries to conduct comprehensive assessments of WASH and IPC in health care facilities, and to take steps to improve WASH and IPC conditions where necessary.
In May 2022, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution calling for WHO to draft a global strategy on infection prevention and control.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), through the WHO/ UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) release progress updates on WASH in households, WASH in schools and WASH in health care facilities every two years. This 2022 update presents national, regional and global estimates for WASH in health care facilities up to the year 2021, with a special focus on the linkages between WASH and infection prevention and control (IPC).
Achieving universal access to WASH in health care facilities requires political will and strong leadership at both national and facility levels, but is highly cost-effective, and would yield substantial health benefits. A global analysis estimated that universal basic WASH services in health care facilities could be achieved in 46 least developed countries (LDCs) by 2030 for less than US$10 billion, which represents additional expenditures of less than US$1 per person per year.
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