Day: August 31, 2022

A World Health Organization-UNICEF global study of health care facilities finds half lack basic hygiene services, putting around 3.85 billion people at risk of infection and death.

The study is based on data from 40 countries representing 35% of the world’s population. It presents an alarming picture of health facilities that lack water and soap for handwashing, have dirty toilets, and are unable to manage health care waste.

It says the lack of safe water, sanitation, and basic hygiene services, known as WASH, in health care facilities can lead to many preventable deaths. Rick Johnston is WHO lead WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program for WASH. He says sepsis, a major cause of mortality globally, could be prevented by improving WASH services in health care.

“It causes about 11 million avoidable deaths each year. And we know that in health care settings, sepsis mortality is linked to poor quality of care, including inadequate WASH… Still today, 670,000 neo-natal deaths occur due to sepsis. So, there is a huge burden that could be improved right there,” he said.

Data show the situation tends to be better in hospitals than in smaller health care facilities. The WHO reports the 46 least developed countries lag most behind in hygiene services, with only 32% of health care facilities providing WASH services.

Johnston says sub-Saharan Africa is the geographic region with the lowest coverage of basic services, about a third lower than globally.

“I mentioned hand hygiene services at 51% globally. It is only 38% in sub-Saharan Africa… Water services 78% globally, only 52% in sub-Saharan Africa… In sub-Saharan Africa, only 13% of health care facilities met the requirement for a basic health care service. So, lots of work to be done in sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.

The WHO estimates the cost of achieving universal basic WASH services in the 46 least developed countries at less than $10 billion between now and 2030. While that sounds like a lot, WHO officials say it comes to just under $1 per person per year. Officials say that is a fraction of what currently is being spent on health care services in those countries.

Source: Voice of America

At least 50 civilians were killed during a military operation conducted by Mali’s army and “foreign troops” on April 19, the United Nations said in a report on Wednesday.

The U.N. has repeatedly accused Malian soldiers of summarily executing civilians and suspected militants over the course of their decadelong fight against groups linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State.

Mali’s military government, which took power in a 2020 coup, has been battling Islamist insurgents with the help of private military contractors belonging to Russia’s Wagner Group.

The alleged April massacre took place on market day in Hombori municipality, in the central region of Douentza, after a Malian military convoy hit an improvised explosive device.

The massacre victims included a woman and a child, the U.N.’s peacekeeping mission MINUSMA said in a quarterly report on human rights violations in the insurgent-hit West African country.

It did not specify the nationality of the foreign military personnel accompanying local troops.

Some 500 people were briefly detained during the military operation prompted by the explosion, but most were later freed. Days later, a single Malian soldier allegedly executed 20 of the 27 civilians still held at the military camp in Hombori, according to the U.N.

Mali’s military spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Authorities have previously denied accusations that soldiers tortured civilians held in Hombori, the report said.

In the report, MINUSMA documented 317 civilian deaths between April 1 and June 30, 42% lower than the 543 registered during the first quarter of 2022.

While insurgents carry out most of the abuses, Malian defense and security forces were responsible for just over a quarter of violent acts against civilians recorded during that period, according to the report.

Mali’s military has in some cases acknowledged its forces were implicated in executions and other abuses. But few soldiers have faced criminal charges.

Authorities have banned U.N. investigators from a site where Malian troops and suspected Russian fighters allegedly executed around 300 civilian men during a military operation in March.

Both Mali and Russia have previously said the Wagner Group is not made of mercenaries but trainers helping local troops with equipment bought from Russia.

Source: Voice of America