UN report on healthcare sanitation gaps

On August 18, 2026, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, agencies of the United Nations, released a joint report providing the first global estimates of basic sanitation services in healthcare facilities. The report, based on data from 70 countries, found that only 40% of healthcare facilities worldwide met basic sanitation standards in 2025, while 11% had no sanitation services at all, affecting 936 million people. Significant regional disparities were noted, with only 23% of facilities in sub-Saharan Africa meeting basic standards compared to 55% in central and southern Asia. The report also assessed water, hygiene, waste management, and environmental cleaning, finding that 85% had basic water services, 72% had basic hygiene services, 71% had basic waste management, and only 59% met environmental cleaning standards. In least-developed countries, only 24% of facilities met the environmental cleaning standard. The findings highlight critical gaps in infection prevention and control, particularly in low-income regions.