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

Forty percent of the world's healthcare facilities lack basic sanitation standards, according to a report released by the United Nations on August 18, 2026. The report, a collaborative effort between the World Health Organization and UNICEF, found that only 40% of healthcare facilities worldwide met the necessary sanitation criteria for adequate patient and staff comfort, including those with limited mobility. This figure is significantly lower than the 55% in central and southern Asia, and just 23% in sub-Saharan Africa.

The report, based on data from 70 countries, revealed substantial disparities in sanitation access across regions. It stated that 11% of healthcare facilities had no sanitation services at all, serving 936 million people. Furthermore, more than one in ten facilities globally had no sanitation services, accommodating 936 million individuals. The report also examined access to water, hygiene, environmental cleaning, and waste management in healthcare settings.

While 85% of healthcare facilities had basic water services, 72% provided basic hygiene services, and 71% maintained basic healthcare waste management services, there was a notable gap in environmental cleaning standards, which is crucial for infection prevention and control. Only 59% of facilities met these standards, with the figure dropping to 24% in the world's least-developed nations. Only 18% of facilities, serving around 1.5 billion people, failed to meet the environmental cleaning requirements.