In keeping with WHO figures, whereas well being professionals make up lower than three p.c of the inhabitants, they account for 14 p.c of Covid-19 instances recorded around the globe.
The longer the survival of SARS-CoV-2 virus on the pores and skin, it will increase contact-transmission danger. Picture credit score: UN/Unsplash
One in 4 well being centres worldwide lacks entry to water, placing round 1.eight billion folks at elevated danger of contracting the coronavirus
, the World Well being Group mentioned Monday. The shortage of this primary amenity endangers sufferers and employees alike at such centres, the WHO mentioned in a joint report with the UN youngsters’s company UNICEF. The research was primarily based on knowledge from 165 nations. “Working in a healthcare facility with out water, sanitation and hygiene is akin to sending nurses and medical doctors to work with out private protecting gear,” mentioned WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
These components “are elementary to stopping COVID-19 . However there are nonetheless main gaps to beat, significantly in least developed nations.”
In keeping with WHO figures, whereas well being professionals make up lower than three p.c of the inhabitants, they account for 14 p.c of COVID-19 instances recorded around the globe.
“Sending healthcare staff and other people in want of therapy to amenities with out clear water, protected bathrooms and even cleaning soap places their lives in danger,” mentioned UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore.
The report additionally discovered that one in three well being amenities around the globe couldn’t assure hand hygiene, whereas one in 10 didn’t have entry to sanitation providers.
The figures are even worse for the world’s 47 least-developed nations (LDCs), the place half of healthcare centres haven’t any entry to consuming water, 1 / 4 haven’t any entry to water for hygiene functions, and three in 5 lack primary sanitation providers.
The WHO and UNICEF calculated that it might value round $1 per inhabitant to offer primary water providers in these nations’ well being centres — and 20 cents every to keep up such amenities annually.
