Resources

Poster presented and awared with the first prize at 2018 International Tech4Dev Conference, EPFL Lausanne. Abstract: Hospital acquired infections (HAI) pose a significant threat to the health of patients and health care employees in developing countries. Limited resources are available for health facilities: It is estimated that 15% of patients in low-income countries develop one or more infections during a hospital stay, of which water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is a contributor (Allegranzi et al., 2011). Infections account for a third of the 3.6 million neonatal deaths each year and for 15% of maternal deaths (Lawn et al., 2010). In 2016 Ministry of Health and UNICEF started a pilot project in 55 Zambian health care facilities implementing basic WASH infrastructures including disinfectant production, waste management and hand washing to effectively prevent diseases. A specific focus was given to mother and child health to reduce burden of disease by autonomous production of sodium hypochlorite, using electrolysis to transform saline solution into disinfectant with WATA technology.

This document provides a set of core questions and indicators for WASH in HCF to be used for harmonized national monitoring. The monitoring results allow better comparison of survey results over time and between countries, as well as facilitate global analysis of WASH in HCF in the context of the 2030 Agenda. The indicators include definitions for basic water, sanitation, hand hygiene, health care waste management, and environmental cleaning services. Each indicator is supported with a set of recommended questions for use in data collection, which allow classification of facilities in relation to “service ladders” that can be used to monitor progress.

National guidelines on IPC, taking into account considerations of Ebola.

Turning recommendations into practice

WHO and UNICEF Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool

This paper presents the first coverage estimates of environmental conditions and standard precaution items in HCFs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and explores factors associated with low coverage.

An assessment tool that uses recommended JMP core indicators for health care facilities

Guidance on segregation, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of waste from health care activities for Madagascar.