Speaking on World Water Day, Monday, Sasha Koo-Oshima said a large part of the world’s population still lacks access to handwashing facilities at home, adding that it is the first line of defense against the coronavirus.

The UN on Monday warned that more than 2 billion people do not have direct access to water, the "blue gold" which is essential to defeating the coronavirus pandemic. That brings in the issue of underinvestment and water sanitation and water services for billions of people. This has become abundantly clear since the start of the pandemic, said Oshima.