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Sanitation:We can cut health spending on epidemics
2008-03-23 10:19:37
By Editor
Millions of lives could be saved from common epidemic diseases like diarrhea, cholera and typhoid if only more efforts and emphasis would be directed to improving sanitation.
The provision of clean and safe water to the people plus proper disposal of wastes especially human and animal excreta through proper use of toilets are the key aspects towards improving sanitation hence the general wellbeing of people in any particular locality.
We just celebrated the World’s Water and Sanitation Day, but many governments especially those in least developing countries, Tanzania included haven`t been able to greatly improve the basic sanitation among the majority of their populations.
The simple use of a toilet and proper disposal of human excreta coupled with some other simple personal hygienic practices like washing hands with water and soap before meals and after using a toilet can save valuable production time and cut huge portion of government budgets used to treat illnesses caused by poor sanitation.
For it is when contaminated water sources such as leaking clean water pipes as well as water wells located down hills which are mainly used by the majority of the population as sources for water for drinking and other domestic purposes which result in the outbreak of life threatening diseases like cholera and typhoid.
The provision of clean water, plus a campaign to educate the majority of the populations on proper disposal of contaminated water be it from industries or from domestic toilets, will not only improve health, but lead to big health budget savings and greater productivity.
The true meaning of marking the World`s Water and Sanitation Day lies not in write-ups and speeches recasting the gloomy situation, but moving to ensure the set strategies of improving basic human sanitation are implemented fully.
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