More than two billion people do not have access to normal sanitation
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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WHO, together with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), warned in their speech about problems with access to drinking water and sanitation in some regions, which could adversely affect the health of both children and the adult population. In their report on progress in sanitation, experts noted that today more than two billion people (one in three people on the planet) do not have access to normal sanitation and clean drinking water, while about a million people continue to cope with their needs simply in the open air.
In this regard, WHO recommends focusing on inequalities that worsen progress in health.
As the head of UNICEF programs on clean water and sanitation Sanje Vijesecker noted, today the model is used, according to which access to normal sanitary conditions and drinking water of improved quality is first of all for the wealthy strata of the population, and then they receive less well-off and people.
For many countries, access to clean water has become one of the biggest achievements. Over 25 years, 91% of the world population was provided with improved quality drinking water. In Africa, more than 400 million people have access to clean water.
In addition, the survival rates for children have been significantly improved. To date, from acute diarrhea, provoked by contaminated water and poor sanitation, less than a thousand children die (15 years ago, more than 2,000 children died from diarrhea).
One of the impediments to progress in sanitation was insufficient investment in this sector, lack of products available to the poor, and social norms that encourage the management of various needs in the open, but not in specially designated places.
But, still, since 1990, more than two billion people have improved sanitation. WHO experts note that work in this area should continue until a 100% rate is reached.
While in the world people are deprived of access to normal sanitation and clean drinking water, outbreaks of dangerous infections that take the lives of thousands of people, including children, will continue.
Access to clean water, normal sanitation is important in the prevention and treatment of an overwhelming number of tropical diseases (16 of 17), including helminthiasis, trachoma, etc. More than 1.5 billion people suffer from these diseases in almost 150 countries.
During the report, experts emphasized the importance of further work in the field of sanitation. For the health and welfare of mankind, it is very important to ensure access to clean water and sanitation in rural areas, slums, etc.
According to the UN plans, by 2030 it is necessary to eliminate such a concept as coping with its need in the open air, in addition, it is important to eliminate inequality and, regardless of the social status, to ensure access to normal sanitation and clean water.
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