Globally, nearly 3 in 10 people do not have access to drinking water. 2.1 billion people are deprived of domestic drinking water supplies, according to a report * from the World Health Organization in collaboration with Unicef. This worrying observation highlights that access to water is still a luxury for many people and in mainly rural areas.
The provision of safe water is not taken for granted in the four corners of the globe: 4.5 billion, or 60% of people, do not have safely managed sanitation services.
“Having access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene at home should not be a privilege exclusively reserved for the rich living in urban areas”, points in a statement Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the Organization World Health Organization. “These are basic human health services and it is the responsibility of all countries to ensure that everyone can access them.”
Global inequalities are glaring in terms of access to sanitation infrastructure guaranteeing clean water for consumption. As an example of these inequalities, access to soap and water for handwashing varies considerably in the 70 countries for which data are available, ranging from 15% in sub-Saharan Africa to 76% in West Asia and South Africa. North.
Gold drinkcontaminated waterinvolves many risk for the health : diarrhea (361,000 children under the age of 5 die each year from diarrhea), transmission of diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A or typhoid. “Many homes, health centers and schools still do not have soap or water for washing their hands, a situation that exposes all those who frequent these places, and especially children, to the risk of diseases such as than diarrhea”, notes the document.
Universal and equitable access to water by 2030
In 90 countries, progress in terms of sanitation is too slow. As a result, basic sanitation facilities are lacking, hitting the population hard. These basic infrastructures designate “any source of protected drinking water within 30 minutes of its home, improved private toilets or latrines, and facilities for washing hands with soap and water in the house”.
“Good hygiene practices are, however, the simplest and most effective way to prevent the spread of disease,” recall the authors of the report, which aims to “ensure universal and equitable access to health. drinking water and sanitation, for all by 2030 “.
* Report of the Joint WHO / UNICEF Water Supply and Sanitation Monitoring Program (JMP) entitled Progress in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (2017 update).
In order to achieve the #GlobalGoals by 2030, there must be safe drinking water & sanitation #foreverychildhttps://t.co/lkKfNCFWtQpic.twitter.com/eW3ZsF0n1l
– UNICEF (@UNICEF) July 17, 2017
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