Half a million babies die each year in their first month of life because they have been born into unhygienic conditions, a briefing paper from the international development organisation WaterAid reveals today.
The briefing, “Healthy Start: the first month of life”, reveals the devastating impact of a lack of safe water and sanitation on newborns in developing countries. The paper also highlights the risks presented by healthcare facilities that do not offer a hygienic birth environment, and sets out what is needed to support health agencies, ministries and donor governments to ensure that every healthcare facility has clean running water, safe toilets and sinks with soap available to staff and patients. Available to download in English, French and Portuguese.