Causes of death among children
Wednesday, 22. November 2006, 06:32:25
Previous run: 7km.
Weeks ago I was listening to a feature programme on the BBC world service.
The three leading causes of death among children under the age of five in UN member countries for 2000-2003 are:
Neonatal causes
Respiratory diseases
Diarrhoea
Source: World Health Organization data, 2005 (pdf file)
The programme went on to describe the causes of diarrhoea in developing countries. The main cause was, contaminated water.
People who live in city slums around the world have no access to piped water. Most of their water comes from wells, which collects groundwater.
There are little or no sanitation facilities. Hence people defaecate in plastic bags and these get disposed of near the water source.
Harmful organisms in human faeces get leeched to the water source, and diseases spread this way.
So next time we turn on the faucet, let us not waste this precious resource.
And remember that clean water is a human right.
Weeks ago I was listening to a feature programme on the BBC world service.
The three leading causes of death among children under the age of five in UN member countries for 2000-2003 are:
Neonatal causes
Respiratory diseases
Diarrhoea
Source: World Health Organization data, 2005 (pdf file)
The programme went on to describe the causes of diarrhoea in developing countries. The main cause was, contaminated water.
People who live in city slums around the world have no access to piped water. Most of their water comes from wells, which collects groundwater.
There are little or no sanitation facilities. Hence people defaecate in plastic bags and these get disposed of near the water source.
Harmful organisms in human faeces get leeched to the water source, and diseases spread this way.
So next time we turn on the faucet, let us not waste this precious resource.
And remember that clean water is a human right.
WIDGETIZE