Roughly 829,000 people worldwide die each year from diarrhoea and of those 829,000 people, 525,000 of them are children. Diarrhoea can be the result of unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, and hand hygiene. Diarrhoea is defined as “the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day” and is typically a symptom of an internal tract infection. Without proper access to clean water, people are less likely to wash their hands leading to contamination and the likelihood of diarrhoea and other diseases. Contaminated drinking water or food, or from one person to another because of poor hygiene can be the cause of infection in the intestinal tract.
WHO states that nearly 780 million people lack access to safe drinking water globally. Our water sources become contaminated by waste, sewage, and chemicals making it unsafe and unsanitary for people to not only drink but also to perform basic sanitation methods such as washing our hands. When people don’t wash their hands, they can contaminate the food that other people eat, and they can spread diseases to other people. Diarrhoea is one such disease that can be prevented when people have access to clean water and proper sanitation. According to WHO in 2020, 368 million people got their water from unprotected wells and springs and 122 million people collected water from untreated surface waters such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. Low-income countries have little access to clean sanitation heightening their risk for diseases and infection.
3.6 billion people worldwide live without proper sanitation methods. Proper sanitation methods are defined as “having access to facilities for the safe disposal of human waste (feces and urine), as well as having the ability to maintain hygienic conditions” defined to the CDC. When people don’t have access to proper sanitation methods such as having a place to privately use the restroom, they are risking the spread of human waste. Approximately 673 million people defecate in the open. When people defecate in the open, they are using the restroom our land, and our water sources. When individuals defecate on our land, they are contaminating the soil we plant our crops in. When they defecate in our water sources, they are contaminating the water we drink, wash our hands in, and water our soil with. Inadequate sanitation methods jeopardize human health and hygiene.
People all over the world, especially in low-income countries, go every day without proper sanitation methods, and clean water, and are jeopardizing their health. Without proper access to water, people cannot properly shower, increasing the risk of infections, especially in women and girls. When women and girls don’t have the proper access to a shower or clean water, they can get infections or other diseases, especially during menstruation. Menstruation happens in girls aging from 10–50 and is the shedding of the uterus lining when no pregnancy occurs in a woman’s body. When women don’t have the right sanitation methods, especially during menstruation, they are at risk for infections and diseases such as UTIs, RTIs, and yeast infections. With clean water and proper resources for feminine hygiene products, we can limit the number of infections and diseases that happen to women.
In-conclusion:
Here at Stetho Health Systems, we want to “make every day better for people living in the communities we operate in” stated CEO Cristiana Sandor. We want to be able to educate and supply resources for women all over the world and bring awareness to people about crises that are happening every day in our communities. Poor sanitation methods affect millions of people daily, especially in low-income countries and we want to bring awareness to the ongoing issue and find a way to make life healthier for people all over the world. Through proper education on healthy hygiene habits and supporting low-income countries by providing resources, such as menstrual products, we can help limit the number of diseases and infections that occur daily.
