The Global Health Observatory

Explore a world of health data

© WHO / Mark Nieuwenhof

Achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require a quadrupling of current rates of progress in safely managed drinking water, safely managed sanitation, and basic hygiene services

 

Benefits of improved sanitation extend well beyond reducing the risk of diarrhoea. These include:


  • reducing the spread of intestinal worms, schistosomiasis and trachoma, which are neglected tropical diseases that cause suffering for millions;
  • reducing the severity and impact of malnutrition;
  • promoting dignity and boosting safety, particularly among women and girls;
  • promoting school attendance: girls’ school attendance is particularly boosted by the provision of separate sanitary facilities; and
  • potential recovery of water, renewable energy and nutrients from faecal waste.
A WHO study in 2012 calculated that for every US$ 1.00 invested in sanitation, there was a return of US$ 5.50 in lower health costs, more productivity, and fewer premature deaths.
Sanitation fact sheet
When water comes from improved and more accessible sources, people spend less time and effort physically collecting it, meaning they can be productive in other ways. This can also result in greater personal safety by reducing the need to make long or risky journeys to collect water. Better water sources also mean less expenditure on health, as people are less likely to fall ill and incur medical costs, and are better able to remain economically productive.

With children particularly at risk from water-related diseases, access to improved sources of water can result in better health, and therefore better school attendance, with positive longer-term consequences for their lives.
Drinking-water fact sheet
If you have any feedback, you are welcome to write it here.
If you need to access the old Global Health Observatory data, you can do it here. But before you leave, please provide us your feedback about our new data portal.