Three in four Moroccan health facilities lack basic cleaning services

Three-quarters of Morocco’s health care facilities lack basic environmental cleaning services, while only 11% meet the international standard for basic water access, according to a new World Health Organization and UNICEF report.

The WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme report, covering progress from 2015 to 2025, provides updated Moroccan estimates across water, sanitation, hygiene, environmental cleaning and medical-waste management.

Globally, the report estimated basic coverage at 85% for water, 72% for hygiene, 71% for waste management, 59% for cleaning and 40% for sanitation services.

Only 9% of Moroccan facilities provide basic environmental cleaning, which requires written cleaning protocols and trained staff. Another 15% offer limited services, while 75% have none.

Water access also falls below the basic threshold. Eleven percent of facilities have water from an improved source available on the premises, while 85% provide limited access and 4% have no water service.

For sanitation, 10% meet the basic standard, requiring usable toilets for staff, women and people with limited mobility. Limited sanitation covers 82% of facilities, while 7% lack an improved service.

The report classifies 37% of facilities as having basic hygiene services. Another 46% provide limited services and 17% have none. The indicator requires functional handwashing facilities or alcohol-based sanitizer at care points and near toilets.

Medical-waste management performed better but remained incomplete. Thirty-two percent of facilities safely separate waste and properly treat infectious material and used needles. Fifty-one percent provide limited services and 16% have none.

The report said Morocco’s new estimates were below previous regional averages and lowered the aggregate results for North Africa and Western Asia. WHO and UNICEF link these services to infection control, patient safety and protection against antimicrobial resistance.