With thanks to WHO Infection Prevention and Control Global Newsletter, which reports:
A new joint report from WHO and UNICEF, Essential Services for Quality Care, reveals that despite growing global momentum, billions of people still receive care in health facilities lacking the most basic services. The report, launched ahead of the high-level UN meeting, underscores the urgent need for accelerated investment and action to meet 2030 targets for water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), waste management, and electricity in health care settings.
The report highlights significant progress: 101 countries submitted validated data in 2025—more than double the number in 2020—showing increased commitment to improving essential services. Over 80% of countries have taken national action, such as developing standards or conducting baseline assessments. However, the gaps remain staggering, since:
• a billion people are served by facilities without basic water services;
• a billion lack access to basic sanitation;
• 1.7 billion are without basic hygiene services;
• 2.8 billion receive care in facilities without proper waste management;
• nearly one billion people rely on facilities with no or unreliable electricity.
Funding is the biggest barrier: while over half of countries have approved national plans, only 1 in 5 report adequate financing.
Access the news story and the report for more detail.
https://www.who.int/news/item/24-09-2025-countries-making-unprecedented-...
COMMENTS (NPW):
1. It is often said that healthcare information alone is insufficient for health CARE and this is self-evident. HIFA uses the mnemonic SEISMIC to describe the full range of needs of healthcare providers. https://www.hifa.org/about-hifa/hifa-universal-health-coverage-and-human...
2. People also sometimes ask: what is the point of healthcare information if the healthcare provider has minimal resources? Our response is that everyone needs reliable healthcare information that is relevant for their particular context, including availability of basic resources. The idea for HIFA was born as the result of a child who died unnecessarily from dehydration caused by diarrhoea because the parents believed they should withhold fluids. The parents could have prevented the death simply by giving fluids and by taking action to seek care.
3. The numbers cited in this report 'a billion people are served by facilities without basic water services...' are astounding. As the report says, 'policies, strategies and operational plans should be informed by the best available evidence of what works and how'. HIFA's previous work with WHO/TDR and others underlines the importance of evidence-informed policymaking.
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org