
hands4health
Hand hygiene, water quality and sanitation in primary health care facilities and schools not connected to functional water supply systems
Current situation
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are central to the ability to maintain hygienic environments and prevent disease transmission in both health care facilities and schools. Proper and frequent hand hygiene is one of the most important measures that can be taken to prevent the transmission of diarrheal diseases, respiratory diseases and (re-)emerging infections.
In 2019, the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Global Baseline Report estimated that over 45% of primary health care facilities and 50% of schools in LMICs do not have access to handwashing facilities, basic hygiene and water supply systems. Moreover, administrators and staff of health care facilities and schools often lack the capacity and knowledge to manage WASH services adequately. This holds particularly true in a context where functional water supply is lacking, rendering the provision of adequate WASH services intractable.

Our Vision
To join our experiences and efforts to establish a systemic approach to hand hygiene and WASH in primary health care facilities and schools serving the most vulnerable populations.

Target Population
Off-grid schools and health care facilities with poor WASH services, located in conflict-affected areas, refugee and internally displaced camps, informal settlements and remote rural areas.

10 Partners
NGOs, academia and private sector entities

8 Work Packages
Four-year project timeline: 2021-2024

4 Countries
Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Palestine
Latest news
- The hands4health team meeting 2023Bringing all partners together The third hands4health face-to-face workshop took place on August 31 and September 1, 2023, at the FHNW in Muttenz, Basel, with representatives from all partner organisations and project countries.… Read More »The hands4health team meeting 2023
- Global Handwashing Day 2023 celebrations in NigeriaClean hands within reach The Global Handwashing Day 2023 campaign enforced that: “Through strong leadership and collective efforts, we can close gaps in access and practice to achieve hand hygiene for all. Everyone… Read More »Global Handwashing Day 2023 celebrations in Nigeria
- Journée mondiale du lavage des mains 2023Des mains propres à portée de main Le consortium hands4health et ses partenaires se joignent à des centaines de millions de personnes dans le monde pour célébrer la Journée mondiale du lavage des… Read More »Journée mondiale du lavage des mains 2023
- Global Handwashing Day 2023Clean hands are within reach Hands4health partners join hundreds of millions of people around the world in celebrating Global Handwashing Day on the 15th of October – a worldwide awareness day dedicated to… Read More »Global Handwashing Day 2023
Funding

The hands4health initiative is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), through a project and programme contribution of CHF 4’700’000. More information is available here.