Nearly one in nine healthcare facilities worldwide has no sanitation service, according to a new report by the World Health Organization, WHO, and UNICEF.
The report found that only 40 percent of healthcare facilities globally met basic sanitation standards in 2025, including access to usable toilets for patients and staff and facilities accessible to people with limited mobility.
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded one of the lowest levels of access, with only 23 percent of healthcare facilities meeting basic sanitation standards.
The report, based on data from 70 countries, also assessed water, hygiene, waste management and environmental cleaning in healthcare facilities.
It found that 85 percent had basic water services, 72 percent had basic hygiene services and 71 percent had basic healthcare waste management.
Environmental cleaning was also identified as a major concern, with only 59 percent of facilities meeting basic standards requiring appropriate cleaning procedures and trained personnel.
The WHO and UNICEF say the gaps pose challenges to infection prevention and the delivery of safe, quality healthcare, particularly in the world’s poorest countries.
