Water, sanitation, and hygiene

In recent years, Uzbekistan has significantly improved access to water and sanitation services. According to the latest available data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) in 2021-22, 96.8% of the household population is utilising improved drinking water sources, reflecting the nation's commitment to ensuring clean and safe drinking water for its citizens. However, challenges persist, as 25.9% of household members still lack drinking water on their premises, and 17.9% do not have access to handwashing facilities within their dwellings, yards, or plots.

The sanitation landscape also exhibits promising trends, with 93.6% of the household population benefiting from improved sanitation facilities. Despite this progress, the remaining 6.4% represents a considerable number of people still lacking proper sanitation, underscoring the importance of continuing efforts to reach these underserved populations.

The situation in educational institutions reveals disparities between urban and rural areas. While 88% of urban schools have basic water services, only 65% of rural schools enjoy the same privilege, leaving a significant proportion (19%) without access to water services. Similarly, within sanitation, 86% of urban schools have basic sanitation services compared to 63% in rural areas.

According to WASH in HCFs Assessment (2020), on average, 57 per cent of facilities provided basic water services, 26 per cent of PHC facilities meet basic sanitation services, 50 per cent of facilities provide limited sanitation services and 24 per cent do not provide sanitation services in PHC facilities. A total of 62 per cent of PHC facilities have basis hand hygiene services. One-third (36 per cent) have limited services, and a small number (2.3 percent) have no hand hygiene services.