World Health Organization Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Links to Health FACTS AND FIGURES – *updated November 2004
Water and Sanitation is one of the primary drivers of public health. I often refer to it as "Health 101", which means that once we can secure access to clean water and to adequate sanitation facilities for all people, irrespective of the difference in their living conditions, a huge battle against all kinds of diseases will be won.
Dr LEE Jong-wook, Director-General, World Health Organization.
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Diarrhoea
1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera); 90% are children under 5, mostly in developing countries. 88% of diarrhoeal disease is attributed to unsafe water supply, inadequate sanitation and hygiene. Improved water supply reduces diarrhoea morbidity by between 6% to 25%, if severe outcomes are included. Improved sanitation reduces diarrhoea morbidity by 32%. Hygiene interventions including hygiene education and promotion of hand washing can lead to a reduction of diarrhoeal cases by up to 45%. Improvements in drinking-water quality through household water treatment, such as chlorination at point of use, can lead to a reduction of diarrhoea episodes by betweem 35% and 39%.
Trachoma
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500 million people are at risk from trachoma. 146 million are threatened by blindness. 6 million people are visually impaired by trachoma. The disease is strongly related to lack of face washing, often due to absence of nearby sources of safe water. Improving access to safe water sources and better hygiene practices can reduce trachoma morbidity by 27%.
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Intestinal helminths (Ascariasis, Trichuriasis, Hookworm disease)
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133 million people suffer from high intensity Intestinal helminths infections, which often leads to severe consequences such as cognitive impairment, massive dysentery, or anaemia. These diseases cause around 9400 deaths every year. Access to safe water and sanitation facilities and better hygiene practice can reduce morbidity from ascariasis by 29% and hookworm by 4%. 20% of clinical cases of Japanese encephalitis die, and 35% suffer permanent brain damage. Improved management for irrigation of water resources reduces transmission of disease, in South, South East, and East Asia.

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