The Sovereign Order of Malta co-sponsored a side event titled ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Healthcare Facilities: Lesson Learned and the Way Forward’. The side event took place at the United Nations and was sponsored by the co-chairs of the UN Group of Friends of WASH in Healthcare Facilities, the Permanent Mission of Hungary and the Permanent Mission of the Philippines, and supported by the World Health Organization and the International Federation of the Red Cross. The event focused on the progress made towards achieving the targets set out to improve WASH in Healthcare Facilities. Leading United Nations experts outlined the scope of the challenge with representatives of Member States and key NGO’s presenting the best examples of comprehensive and sustainable responses at a local level.

H.E. Fra. Nicola Tegoni addressed the panel, highlighting the Sovereign Order of Maltas’ joint activities with Malteser International to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities for displaced people to improve their health and well-being. He stressed our continuous efforts in implementing various WASH activities, such as the Global Program on WASH and Human Rights that operates in India, Nepal and Uganda. He said that ‘this program seeks to improve access to safe water and sanitation, as well as to promote good hygiene practices, mainly by working through decentralized authorities who are strengthened in identifying and targeting the communities which are most in need for these services.’