Supply of safe water, sanitation, and good water management are basic to global health. Increase in access to safe drinking water, improve in sanitation and hygiene, and water management reduces risks of water-borne infectious diseases. Almost one tenth of the global diseases could be prevented if the aforementioned areas are being taken care of.
Annually, safe water could prevent around 1.4 million child deaths from diarrhoea, approximately 5,00,000 deaths from malaria, nearly 8,60,000 child deaths from malnutrition and closely 2,80,000 deaths from drowning. Additionally, around 5 million can be protected from lymphatic filariasis and another 5 million from trachoma.
Recommended Measures
If measures to improve water, sanitation and hygiene work in tandem then it can boost the overall health. Access to sanitation prevents drinking water contamination from human waste and ultimately minimise the risk of water related disease. Frequent hand-washing using soap and safe storage of drinking water are practices that have high impacts.
Effective management of environment lowers the rates of malaria and other diseases spread through insects and ultimately prevents deaths. Measures such as clearing of standing water, use of screening doors and windows stops malaria.
Economic Benefits
Investment to improve drinking water facilities, sanitation, hygiene and water resource management systems provide economic benefits. Every dollar invested leads to eight dollars in benefits.