The latest findings from a World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations (UN) Water report show an urgent need to accelerate action in many countries to achieve safe and sustainably managed water, sanitation and hygiene (Wash).

The Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLAAS) report reveals that only 25% of countries are on track to achieve their national sanitation targets as the world works to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – water and sanitation for all by 2030.

According to the report, 45% of countries are on track to achieve their nationally defined drinking water coverage targets.

However, less than a third of countries reported to have sufficient human resources required to carry out key Wash functions.

“We are facing an urgent crisis: poor access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene claim millions of lives each year, while the increasing frequency and intensity of climate- related extreme weather events continue to hamper the delivery of safe Wash services,” says WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The 2022 edition of the GLAAS report, which is comprised of new data on Wash from 121 countries and territories – the largest number ever to participate in a GLAAS cycle – and 23 external support agencies, covers a population of 4.8-billion, representing 66% of the world’s population.

It includes 94% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa and 86% of the population of least-developed countries.

While there has been an increase in Wash budgets in some countries, over 75% of countries reported insufficient funding to implement their Wash plans and strategies.

The GLAAS data also shows that most Wash policies and plans do not address risks of climate change to Wash services nor the climate resilience of Wash technologies and management systems.

“Just over two-thirds of countries have measures in Wash policies to reach populations disproportionately affected by climate change. However, only about one-third monitors progress or allocates explicit funding to these populations,” the report points out.

“The world is seriously off-track to achieve SDG 6 on water and sanitation for all by 2030. This leaves billions of people dangerously exposed to infectious diseases, especially in the aftermath of disasters, including climate change-related events,” says International Labour Organisation director-general and UN Water chairperson Gilbert F Houngbo.

“The new data from GLAAS will inform the voluntary commitments the international community will make at the UN 2023 Water Conference in March, helping us target the most vulnerable communities and solve the global water and sanitation crisis.”

Ghebreyesus calls on governments and development partners to strengthen Wash systems.