ABSTRACT Overview of unsafe drinking water and sanitation to public health outcomes in Ethiopia, highlighting key pathways and impacts. Basic drinking water and sanitation services are fundamental to public health. However, Ethiopia continues to face challenges in accessing basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. This review synthesizes evidence on the public health implications of unsafe water and inadequate sanitation across Ethiopia. Despite WASH sector improvements, water quality remains a critical concern, with contamination of the water supply system posing a serious public health risk. Households' access to basic water and sanitation services has increased from 23.3 to 61.9% and 1.1 to 18.6%, respectively, between 2005 and 2025. Under-five diarrheal mortality declined from 310,195 to 193,513 between 2005 and 2025, yet diarrhea remains a leading cause of death. Open defecation has reduced from 79 to 17% between 2005 and 2020, but only 7% of sanitation systems are safely managed. Aging infrastructure, regulatory gaps, poor water handling, and climate-induced stressors are challenges in the WASH sector. National initiatives such as the One WASH National Program (OWNP) and the health extension program have shown progress in improving the WASH sector. This review emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift from supply expansion to quality, climate-resilient infrastructure, regulatory reform, and a shift from cross-sectional to longitudinal studies in the WASH sector.'
Ante et al. (Fri,) studied this question.