In 2018, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General issued a Global Call to Action to elevate the importance of and prioritize action on WASH in all health care facilities. This document presents eight practical actions that UN member states can take at the national and sub-national level to improve WASH in health care facilities. It also summarizes the global response to the UN Secretary General’s Call to Action.

USAID’s Swachchhata (Hygiene) Activity strengthens community health by improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and electricity infrastructure, infection prevention practices, and hygiene behavior at health facilities.

In response to Zimbabwe's critical health status and the degraded state of the country's water infrastructure, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) funded 12 projects related to the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Promotion (WASH) sector in schools, hospitals, and clinics across the country.  These water supply intervention activities began in fiscal year FY 2009 and continued through FY 2012 to determine whether they provided adequate access to improved water during the rainy and dry seasons.

The findings in this first multi-country review of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in health care facilities (HCFs) are sobering. Drawing on data from 54 low- and middle-income countries, the report concludes that 38% lack access to even rudimentary levels of water, 19% lack sanitation and 35% do not have water and soap for handwashing. When a higher level of service is factored in, the situation deteriorates significantly.

With International Women’s Day celebrated March 8 and World Water Day on March 22, it is a month for big ideas—about women and about water. On March 21, the intersection of these two crosscutting development issues and their respective global campaign days brought together advocates, practitioners, academics, and organizations passionate about championing women’s roles in improving access to water for a jointly hosted event titled “Call to Action: Supporting Women through Water.” The U.S.