Inadequate sanitation around the world will undermine the benefits of widespread efforts to improve drinking water sources, health experts warn today.
The report, Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2015 Update and MDG Assessment, was written by experts from the World Health Organisation and UNICEF and released yesterday (30 June). It focuses on the progress made to date on the Millennium Development Goals of access to drinking water and sanitation.
It states that, while access to improved drinking water sources has been “a major achievement for countries and the international community”, one in three people globally, that is 2.4 billion people, are still without sanitation facilities. With only 68% of the world population using an improved sanitation facility, the rate remains 9% below the Millennium Development Goal of 77%.
Progress on sanitation “has been hampered by inadequate investments in behaviour change campaigns, lack of affordable products for the poor, and social norms which accept or even encourage open defecation”, the report states.
Sanjay Wijesekera, of UNICEF, says: “What the data really show is the need to focus on inequalities as the only way to achieve sustainable progress. The global model so far has been that the wealthiest move ahead first, and only when they have access do the poorest start catching up. If we are to reach universal access to sanitation by 2030, we need to ensure the poorest start making progress right away.”
Dr Maria Neira, of the World Health Organisation, added: “Until everyone has access to adequate sanitation facilities, the quality of water supplies will be undermined and too many people will continue to die from waterborne and water-related diseases. To benefit human health it is vital to further accelerate progress on sanitation, particularly in rural and underserved areas.”
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