Lack of sanitation skills and clean water putting 1.8 billion people at a higher risk of COVID-19

NEW DELHI: A report titled “Fundamentals First: Universal Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services in Health Care Facilities for Safe, Quality Care,” established that nearly 1.8 billion health workers and patients across world are at higher risk of COVID-19 and other diseases due to lack of clean water and adequate sanitation at health facilities. The report was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund on January 3,2020.

It found that out of all the global health care facilities- one in 4 has no water service, one in three has no access to hand hygiene, one in ten does not have sanitation services, and one in three does not follow safe waste separation. Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Director-general, WHO,  said in a news release that a health facility without sanitation and water was akin to doctors without protective equipments. He further added that these services are crucial in countering COVID-19.

According to the report, in the least developed countries of the world, fifty percent healthcare facilities lack water facilities, 60 per cent lack sanitation services and 25 per cent are without any hand hygiene.