UN Report: 40% of Global Health Facilities Lack Sanitation

A report from the United Nations, specifically the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, revealed that only 40% of healthcare facilities worldwide met basic sanitation standards for accessible and usable toilets. The report, which relied on data from 70 countries, indicated that 11% of healthcare facilities lack any sanitation services, affecting 936 million people.

It emphasized the need for facilities to have at least one toilet dedicated to staff, one sex-separated toilet with menstrual hygiene facilities, and one toilet accessible for people with limited mobility. The report found that sanitation levels varied significantly by region, with only 23% of facilities in sub-Saharan Africa providing basic services, compared to 55% in central and southern Asia.

Additionally, it reported that 85% of facilities had basic water services, 72% had basic hygiene services, and 71% had basic healthcare waste management services. However, only 59% met environmental cleaning standards, with just 24% compliance in the world’s least-developed nations.