…New guidelines spotlight top 10 WASH-related threats as experts warn of preventable deaths
By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released 54 new technical background documents on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related pathogens, hoping to curb the global burden of waterborne diseases.
Announced yesterday at the 22nd Health Related Water Microbiology Conference (WaterMicro25), the documents detail up-to-date science on pathogens linked to drinking water and sanitation systems. WHO emphasized that unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene cause more than 1.4 million preventable deaths every year — most of them children.
“We know what’s making people sick and we know how to stop it,” said Bruce Gordon, head of WHO’s Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Unit. “Safe drinking-water, sanitation systems and strong regulations are the foundation for public health — yet millions still lack access to them.”
The technical package outlines everything from pathogens’ modes of transmission and environmental presence to how they can be detected, prevented and controlled. It also highlights the top 10 WASH pathogens — including Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and rotavirus — to support better public health action.
“Effective WASH, which can stop all pathogens, is an essential complement to vaccination,” said Dr Sophie Boisson, lead epidemiologist in WHO’s WASH Unit. “It provides the multiple barriers that stop transmission of over 50 waterborne pathogens — viruses, bacteria and protozoan parasites.”
WHO urged countries to integrate water and sanitation improvements into public health strategies. The agency will also help countries establish WASH standards, build capacity, and monitor progress under existing programs like the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene.
“It’s time to align public health strategies with water and sanitation realities,” added Boisson. “Without addressing the root causes of pathogen transmission, we will keep responding to outbreaks rather than preventing them.”
The new background documents aim to empower public health practitioners to manage risks more effectively and ultimately prevent waterborne infections around the world.