JODHPUR, Sept. 15 -- A recent study has revealed serious shortcomings in basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) standards across 11 rural health facilities in Luni block of Jodhpur district, stating that none of the centres initially met the required norms for staffing, water availability and hygiene practices. The study was conducted by Sridevi Gnanasekaran, Manoj Kumar Gupta, Akhil Dhanesh Goel, Pankaj Bhardwaj, Srikanth Srinivasan, Vidhi Jain, Vinoth Rajendran and Pankaja Raghav, representing the Department of Community & Family Medicine, AIIMS Gorakhpur, and the Department of Community Medicine & Family Medicine and School of Public Health, AIIMS Jodhpur. According to the paper, assessments carried out between March 2021 and December 2022 showed that although piped water connections existed, uninterrupted supply was not available in many centres.Hand hygiene stations were found to be absent at all points of care, and cleaning practices were inconsistent.The study also states that menstrual hygiene facilities were missing in most centres, and waste management systems were poorly maintained. The gaps extended beyond infrastructure. The study highlights that none of the facilities had the recommended number of healthcare staff, while training on infection control was minimal. Accessibility for people with reduced mobility was found to be inadequate. To address these deficiencies, the researchers implemented a package of interventions, including capacity-building workshops, on-the-job coaching, the creation of Infection Control Committees and regular supportive supervision. The study reports that these measures led to significant improvements in sanitation, hygiene and overall management scores, though challenges such as manpower shortage and reliable water supply remain unresolved....