- One in three globally does not have adequate facilities to clean hands where care is provided.
- "70 per cent of healthcare facilities in the least developed countries lack basic healthcare waste management services."
A report released by the Ministry of Health indicates up to one million mothers and newborns die from preventable infections linked to unclean births.
The report dubbed Kenya status report on infection prevention and control in Health care facilities: Basic Hygiene and hand-washing services show that, in Africa, up to 20 per cent of women get wound infection after a caesarean section.
"More than 90 per cent of healthcare workers do not adhere to recommended hand hygiene practices," the statement read.
On average, about 15% of patients in low-income and medium countries acquire one infection while undergoing acute care in hospitals, due to a lack of basic healthcare waste management services.
"70 per cent of healthcare facilities in the least developed countries lack basic healthcare waste management services."
The report further said 1.8 billion people lacked basic water services at their healthcare facilities and 712 million have no water at their healthcare facilities.
One in three globally does not have adequate facilities to clean hands where care is provided.
Health Director-General Patrick Amoth said the report comes at a time when the country is still dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic, reporting a cholera outbreak and at a high alert due to Ebola Outbreak in Uganda.
He said healthcare authorities should fulfil their responsibility to ensure access to safe sanitation in facilities for patients, staff and caregivers.
"This will protect nearby communities from exposure to untreated wastewater, faecal sludge and air pollution," he said.
WHO Representative, Kenya Country Office Dr Diallo Abdourahmane said the organization is committed to deepening existing capacity in this critical area of work by organizing a series of regional webinars, as well as hands-on training of trainers in the area of WASH-HCF
"WHO is providing technical backstopping to this workshop, whose expected deliverables are to develop an action plan towards scaling up the basic hygiene and hand washing services assessment to cover more facilities, and develop a roadmap towards completion of the Kenya Healthcare Facilities WASH Guidelines and Standards," he said