Water and Sanitation in Emergencies

Why focus on water and sanitation? Preventative Health

Common Diseases related to WatSan Diarrhoea (common, acute, bloody/mucus, cholera, typhoid) Bilharzia, Hepatitis, river blindness Worm infestations, scabies, other skin diseases, trachoma Malaria, Dengue, yellow fever Parasite infestations, bubonic plague, Hemorrhagic fevers Danger of contamination from medical waste Danger of contamination from dead bodies Water stress/civil unrest from lack of adequate & equitable distribution

Causes of Death in Emergencies (Worldwide) Diarrhoeal Diseases Trauma (Injury) Measles Malnutrition Malaria Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) This slide demonstrates the spiral relationship between malnutrition and infection; inadequate dietary intake leads to weight loss, lowered immunity and mucosal changes. This affects the incidence, duration and severity of many diseases, particularly diarrhoea or dysentery, which in turn may lead to appetite loss, nutrient loss and malabsorption further exacerbating malnutrition. So, be aware, communicable disease indicators have important interactions with indicators in other sectors: such as nutrition. water and sanitation, etc. 2

Transmission of diarrhoeal diseases Hand-to-mouth disease: dysentery Water borne disease: cholera The infectious agents that cause diarrhoea are usually spread by the faecal-oral route, which includes the ingestion of faecally contaminated water or food, person-to-person transmission, and direct contact with infected faeces Cholera is perhaps the most waterborne of all diarrhoeal diseases. Although food-borne outbreaks are typically less widespread and occur less rapidly than waterborne outbreaks, food has been observed to be the main route of transmission for several recent outbreaks. Because the infective dose of shigella species is low, hand-to-mouth or person-to-person transmission is more likely than with many other water-borne diseases. Several epidemiological studies have also linked shigella transmission to flies. 2

How do We Prevent Diarrhoeal Disease? Primary sanitary barriers Toilets Hand-washing (critical times) Water treatment and water handling Food hygiene

Water Unsafe water kills 6,000 children every day (1/15 sec) 1 Billion people lack a basic water supply Only live 3 days without drinking water Lack of water supply denies all people of dignity, energy and time.

Sanitation & Hygiene 2.4 billion people or 2/5 of the world’s population Simple act of washing hands with soap and water can reduce diarrhoeal disease by 1/3 Hygiene related illness cost developing countries 5 billion working days per yr.

“WatSan” Sector Water Supply Sanitation Hygiene Promotion Vector Control Solid Waste Management Drainage

Water Supply

Sanitation

Health and hygiene Promotion

Vector Control

Solid Waste Management

Drainage