Interventions to Mitigate Burdens of Waterborne and Water-Related Disease

Abstract

Abstract Billions of people lack access to the sanitary means for disposal of human waste. The main diseases associated with inadequate sanitation are diarrhea, ascariasis, dracunculiasis, hookworm, schistosomiasis, trachoma, poliomyelitis, and lymphatic filariasis. As a direct result, diarrhea accounts for more than a million deaths worldwide each year among children younger than 5 years of age. With proper sanitation, proper hygiene, and safe drinking water, global deaths resulting from diarrhea can be decreased. Breastfeeding is an effective way to protect infants from diarrheal diseases. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals aim to decrease the proportion of the population without sustainable access to basic sanitation.