Many healthcare facilities in resource-limited settings lack essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services, significantly increasing the risk of infection for patients and staff.
Additional Information
Without the appropriate WASH facilities and services, everyone faces a higher risk of getting sick. WASH plays an important role in enabling healthcare staff to follow necessary infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. To prevent spreading infections, both staff and patients must have access to materials for hand hygiene. Healthcare facilities have different needs for WASH depending on the type of care they provide. Facilities handling acute care, like surgeries or treatment for highly infectious diseases, need more demanding IPC measures. They might need to manage contaminated waste or ensure very high-quality water. On the other hand, centers offering basic or primary care need reliable WASH systems too, though their requirements may not be as strict. This distinction underlines the importance of tailoring WASH capabilities to the specific needs of each healthcare facility to effectively protect against disease.