Stronger WASH services to improve the quality of health care for children and families

Children and families across Iran will benefit from efforts to make health care facilities more resilient and hygienic and better equipped to prevent infections. With financial support from the Government of the Republic of Korea, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) are supporting the Ministry of Health and Medical Education to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities nationwide.

The initiative supports the introduction and institutionalizing of the Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool, known as WASH FIT, across Iran’s health system. The tool helps health facilities identify risks and plan practical improvements in areas such as safe water, sanitation, hygiene, waste management, environmental cleaning, work force, management, and energy and environment.

Building national capacity

The initiative began with a national workshop held in Tehran in October 2025, which brought together 40 environmental health experts from Universities of Medical Sciences from 25 provinces.

The workshop prepared participants to support health facilities in assessing their water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and identifying priority areas for improvement. It built on an earlier national assessment of health facilities and a roadmap developed WHO to strengthen these essential services across the country.

Expanding training across the country

Following the national workshop, a series of provincial cascade training workshops  has started from April 2026. Environmental health experts from hospitals and urban and rural health centers take part in the trainings.

Participants learn how to assess conditions in health facilities, identify risks and prepare action plans based on the needs of each facility. These skills will help health workers improve hygiene standards, reduce the risk of infections and provide safer services for patients, including children and mothers.

UNICEF and WHO are also working with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education to integrate WASH FIT into the national health system, ensuring its sustainable implementation and scale-up.

By strengthening the skills of health professionals and supporting a consistent approach across the country, the initiative aims to improve the quality and safety of health services for children, families, patients and health workers.