Only 40% of world’s health facilities meet basic sanitation standards, says UN

The United Nations has revealed that only a quarter of the world's healthcare facilities meet basic sanitation standards, according to a new report. The World Health Organization and Unicef jointly conducted the study, which analyzed data from 70 countries. The report found that 40% of healthcare facilities have toilets that adequately meet the needs of patients and staff, including those with limited mobility.

However, 11% of facilities have no sanitation services at all. The UN's health and children's agencies estimated that globally, 1.5 billion people, who rely on healthcare facilities with inadequate sanitation, face significant challenges in accessing essential services. The report highlighted wide regional disparities, with only 23% of healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa providing basic sanitation services compared to 55% in central and southern Asia.

In addition, the study emphasized the importance of environmental cleaning, which is crucial for infection prevention and control. The report revealed that only 59% of facilities met basic environmental cleaning standards, and 18% of facilities serving approximately 1.5 billion people did not meet these requirements, primarily in poorer countries.