Source: WASH in HCF December Newsletter
The newly published WHO/UNICEF WASH FIT (Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool) report highlights significant progress in the global adoption of this tool. Since its launch in 2015, over 70 countries have begun using WASH FIT to guide incremental improvements in water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management in health care facilities. The approach has proven adaptable across diverse contexts, including development settings, humanitarian crises, and middle-income countries.
Countries implementing WASH FIT have reported multiple benefits, including improved operations and maintenance, enhanced patient and staff satisfaction, and more efficient allocation of resources. Despite its growing uptake, challenges remain in institutionalizing WASH FIT within national government systems and securing sustainable financing to ensure long-term success. Moving forward, greater efforts are needed to integrate WASH FIT into broader health programs and to align it with national quality of care initiatives.
A webinar will be held in late January discussing the results of the report and sharing examples of how countries are already implementing the recommendations. Further details will be shared in the next newsletter.