Effects Of Poor Sanitation

Introduction

The people who are lucky enough to live in developed cities often take the topic of sanitation for granted. After all, what do they have to worry about, when they live in uncontaminated neighborhoods, drink clean water, and have designated and well-designed toilets at home? However, not everyone is that lucky. The harsh reality of the world today is that there are still some parts of the world where resources like clean drinking water and toilets are considered a luxury. Did you know that all types of sanitation and clean drinking water are recognized as fundamental human rights? We understand that talking about sanitation is not glamorous enough, but the lack of sanitation isn’t funny as well. In this article, we will be discussing the effects of poor sanitation.

You will be shocked to know that roughly 2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to proper sanitation. The lack of sanitation gives rise to the spread of infections through direct contact with human excreta or through carrier organisms or vectors like mosquitoes, lice, ticks, fleas and rats. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 500000 deaths around the world are caused directly due to infections caused by lack of sanitation. And the diseases caused by lack of sanitation include bacterial diseases like typhoid, diarrhea, cholera, and many more. Diarrhoeal diseases can cause extreme dehydration, jaundice, anemia, and organ failure, and are known to be fatal especially when it comes to children. It also causes viral infections like Hepatitis A and Polio. A majority of hospitals in underdeveloped countries exist due to the lack of types of sanitation.

But the effects of poor sanitation don’t just end with medical issues, they go beyond that. Lack of toilets is a major reason for girls missing schools. The absence of toilets hampers the mission to educate girls and leaves them no option but to get out in the night despite safety concerns, to defecate in the open, which then again causes medical problems. It is almost like running around in circles. Also, repeated bouts of diarrhea reduce the body’s ability to absorb vaccines and nutrients, thus leaving malnourished children vulnerable. Despite the damage that it causes, sanitation is one of the most neglected subjects throughout the world.

The economic impact of poor sanitation is another topic that needs to be discussed. It is true that international communities and local governments are working tremendously hard to eradicate the problems caused by the lack of sanitation through comprehensive disease control and awareness campaigns, but the lack of infrastructure is still existent due to spending restrictions. However, according to studies, the risk of spread of infectious diseases and untimely deaths cost the governments billions. Whereas, improving sanitation facilities shows a significant positive impact on the economic growth of a country.