WHO and UNICEF released an updated tracker for WASH In Health Care Facilities for more than 100 countries, showing progress on improving Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) across eight steps.
- Linked to the 2023 United Nations General Assembly Resolution on WASH, waste and electricity in health-care facilities.
- It reveals that only 17% of countries have adequate funding to improve these services.
About WASH and Its Importance
- WASH is a collective term for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene relating to
- Access to safe drinking water
- Improved sanitation facilities
- Maintaining basic level of hygiene
- Importance
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2030: Linked to SDG3 (Good health and well-being) SDG 6 (Ensuring management of water and sanitation for all)
- WASH is critical for reducing infections like cholera, diarrhea (3rd leading cause of deaths in children 1–59 months of age), sepsis, and neglected tropical diseases.
- The lack of toilets in schools causes dropouts, especially among girls.
- Protects Human Rights: Clean water and sanitation are basic human rights as recognized by UN.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2030: Linked to SDG3 (Good health and well-being) SDG 6 (Ensuring management of water and sanitation for all)
- India’s Status: Progress tracker recognizes India’s efforts for Wash in health care facilities standard; Infrastructure improvements; Wash indicators in national monitoring; etc.
Major WASH Initiatives
|
