Global Health Advisory: Potential Exposure to COVID-19 Affecting Nearly 2 Billion Individuals (WHO)

Global Health Advisory: Potential Exposure to COVID-19 Affecting Nearly 2 Billion Individuals (WHO)

### Title: Water Crisis in Hospitals: A Global Concern, Especially in Least Developed Countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the critical challenges faced by healthcare facilities in ensuring safe, reliable, and continuous access to clean water, particularly in the 47 least developed countries (LDCs). According to a recent report, one in four medical facilities in these countries lack a water supply, and one in three lack means for hand hygiene or have unsafe waste segregation practices [1].

In conflict zones like Ukraine, hospitals face water supply disruptions due to electricity outages caused by shelling, affecting essential care, including maternity wards [1]. The situation is further complicated by infrastructure disruptions, limited financial resources, and emergency-related challenges.

Poor water quality and inadequate sanitation are common problems in LDCs, with many healthcare facilities lacking proper water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, which are essential for infection prevention and quality care [2]. Unsafe water and poor hygiene contribute to the spread of disease and undermine medical treatment effectiveness.

To address these issues, WHO and partners advocate for multi-sectoral cooperation and technical assistance to countries in setting national targets and effective financing mechanisms for sustainable WASH improvements [2]. Recent projects, such as the installation of water treatment systems in Ukrainian hospitals, demonstrate that targeted funding can enable improvements, with costs ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of USD per facility, depending on scale and needs [1].

Ensuring safe WASH in healthcare facilities is vital for infection control, maternal and newborn care, and overall patient health. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus compares healthcare workers working without proper hygiene to doctors working without personal protective equipment [4].

While the exact global aggregated cost to provide basic water services for all medical facilities in the 47 LDCs is not specified, the scale of investment required spans infrastructure installation, maintenance, and capacity building [1][2]. The average cost of operating and maintaining these water services in medical facilities in LDCs is approximately 0.20 dollars per capita per year [4].

The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have issued a warning about an increased risk of COVID-19 and other infections for approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide due to water, sanitation, and hygiene issues [4]. These concerns underscore the importance of prioritizing WASH in healthcare facilities to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and patients.

Sources: [1] World Health Organization (2021). Access to water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities in the WHO European Region. [2] World Health Organization (2021). Water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities: A global perspective. [3] United Nations Children's Fund (2021). Tonga: Strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene in healthcare facilities. [4] World Health Organization (2020). WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 29 July 2020.

1. Addressing medical-conditions and ensuring health-and-wellness in the least developed countries (LDCs) often includes tackling critical challenges in water supply and sanitation, a primary focus of science and environmental-science.
2. The effectiveness of fitness-and-exercise regimes can be influenced by nutrition, and while safe food-and-drink is essential, the same importance must be given to clean water, particularly in healthcare facilities, as highlighted in the water crisis discussion.
3. The World Health Organization (WHO) not only priorities water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities but also advocates for data-and-cloud-computing techniques to improve WASH services' management and funding, key aspects of business and personal-finance.
4. On top of the water crisis, climate-change exacerbates water scarcity in many regions, making it a crucial intersection for the environment, finance, and technology to collaborate in the search for sustainable solutions.
5. Mental-health concerns have become increasingly relevant in healthcare, and unclean environments, as seen in poor WASH practices, can contribute to stress and anxiety, further undermining patient recovery.
6. To provide essential WASH services in LDCs, substantial investing is needed for infrastructure installation, maintenance, and capacity building, reflecting the interplay between the healthcare system and finance.

7.Advocating for credible data-and-cloud-computing in healthcare facilities can lead to efficient resource allocation, ultimately impacting the operational costs of climate-change mitigation strategies and promoting lifestyle changes focused on health-and-wellness.

1. In the realm of technology, innovative solutions for the treatment and management of water are increasingly being developed to improve WASH services in healthcare facilities, as demonstrated in the installation of water treatment systems in Ukrainian hospitals.
2. Travel between regions, countries, and continents could potentially import waterborne diseases, emphasizing the global need for standardized WASH protocols, especially in health-related sectors.
3. The sports industry can support charities and non-profit organizations working on improving WASH facilities in healthcare centers, directly impacting the lives of those who rely on these resources for their health and wellness.

Read also: