In January 2015, with the support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and in partnership with the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WaterAid began a three-year initiative to improve access to drinking water and sanitation in rural healthcare facilities in Mali. Mali is one of the least-developed countries in the world, ranking 176 of 187 on the Human Development Index. Of 139 healthcare facilities studied in Segou, Mopti, Tombouctou and Gao regions, 62% experience water quality issues, 68% have limited handwashing facilities and 20% have insufficient water to meet their patients’ basic daily requirements. A lack of safe water, toilets and handwashing facilities poses significant health risks to patients, health workers, and nearby communities. Indeed, the 2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa underscored the urgent need for addressing this critical issue.
Photo Credit: WaterAid/Tara Todras-Whitehill