Only 40% of Global Health Facilities Meet Basic Sanitation Standards – Report
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have revealed that only 40 per cent of healthcare facilities worldwide met basic sanitation standards in 2025, exposing millions of patients and health workers to avoidable health risks.
The findings were contained in a new report titled Progress on Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, Environmental Cleaning and Waste Management in Health Care Facilities 2015–2025, released under the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene.
The report provides the first global assessment covering five critical areas of healthcare services, including sanitation, environmental cleaning, water supply, hygiene and healthcare waste management.
According to the report, 85 per cent of health facilities had access to basic water services in 2025, while 72 per cent met basic hygiene standards and 71 per cent had proper healthcare waste management systems.
However, only 59 per cent achieved the minimum environmental cleaning standard, while just four out of every 10 facilities met the benchmark for basic sanitation.
WHO’s Unit Head for Water, Sanitation and Health, Bruce Gordon, said the findings highlight both progress and persistent shortcomings in healthcare systems.
“Reliable water, accessible sanitation, hand hygiene, effective environmental cleaning and safe waste management must be integrated into health planning, financing and monitoring,” he said.
The report clarified that the 40 per cent sanitation figure does not mean the remaining facilities lacked toilets entirely. It noted that 89 per cent had some form of sanitation infrastructure and 85 per cent had usable toilets.
UNICEF Director of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Evariste Kouassi Komlan, stressed that sanitation facilities must be safe, inclusive and accessible for everyone.
“Without basic WASH services, health care facilities can pose serious risks to women during childbirth, newborns and young children,” he said.
About the Author
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Mirian Gom 