WATER & Health
According to the Global Health Council, more than 1 billion people live without access to safe water. There are also 2.6 billion people who do not have access to basic sanitation, which can result in the easy transmission of diarrhea, cholera, typhoid and several parasitic infections. More than 2.2 million people in developing countries, most of them children, die each year from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. (http://blueplanetrun.org/water/facts) Water and Health – the lack of clean, safe drinking water is a health crisis and a killer!
One of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals aims to, “Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.” Since many infectious diseases are spread through unclean water and poor sanitation, this would have a tremendous positive effect on improving the health of millions worldwide. What diseases and conditions are we talking about?
Schistosomiasis is a water-based disease which is considered the second most important parasitic infection after malaria in terms of public health and economic impact. The symptoms of this disease range from rashes, fever, cough and muscle aches to blood in the urine and stools, and enlarged liver and spleen. At least 600 million people are at risk of infection and of these, 20 million suffer from a severe case.
Guinea worm disease is a debilitating and painful infection caused by a large nematode (roundworm). The disease cycle of this parasitic infection is about a year and then simply starts over, giving more severe negative effects to those afflicted and more easily contaminating others to the disease. Access to clean water and sanitation can reduce schistosomiasis and guinea worm by nearly 80 percent!
Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers are infections caused by bacteria which are transmitted from feces to ingestion. Contaminated water is one of the pathways of transmission of the disease. While clean water, hygiene and good sanitation prevent the spread of typhoid and paratyphoid, the annual incidence of typhoid is estimated to be about 17 million cases worldwide.
Pregnancy and menstruation: Women and girls also face unique health risks related to water and sanitation. During pregnancy, consumption of unclean water can increase the risk of morbidity and mortality for mothers and their babies. Girls of menstruating age in poverty stricken areas often have no access to modern sanitary napkins. Washable rags are reused after washing in bad water, often causing vaginal and urinal infections.
There are also the more ‘familiar’ diseases/illnesses of diarrhea, pneumonia, measles, malaria and malnutrition. These account for 7 out of 10 of childhood deaths in developing countries. Overall, it is estimated that over 2 million people die from water related diseases/illnesses each year.
Improving household and community access to clean water is an extremely effective way to make huge improvements in the health of millions!
Environment Team members:
Cynthia Smith-Ayed, AIWC Casablanca; Kris Coluro-Smith, AWC London and Debra Yonker-Hecht, Chilterns AWC
Sources: Global Health Council, WHO