National situational analysis of water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities in Montenegro: summary report

Overview

Providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene (‎WASH)‎ services, along with effective waste management, in health-care facilities is essential for delivering high-quality health care. Recent resolutions by the World Health Assembly and the United Nations General Assembly have emphasized the critical need to enhance WASH services to achieve universal health coverage and improve readiness for health and climate-related risks. In the WHO European Region, countries have also committed to these goals through the Budapest Declaration on Environment and Health and the Protocol on Water and Health. This report presents the findings of a comprehensive national assessment in Montenegro, which aligns with international commitments. The assessment identified both strengths and challenges in national governance; this information will inform national development strategies, aiming to improve WASH services for better health-care quality. It also provided valuable insights into the current state of WASH services in health-care facilities, highlighting national priorities and specific actions needed for improvement.