Diarrhea is the third leading cause of childhood mortality in India. It is responsible for 13% of all deaths per year or 1400 deaths every day in children under 5 years of age.
Diarrhea is a disease that inhibits nutrient absorption leading to starvation even if sufficient nutrition is consumed. As results, undernutrition reduces a child’s resistance to subsequent infections and gut dysfunction. Even if diarrhea does not kill immediately, repeated bouts during early childhood negatively impact physical and cognitive development. Half of all the cases of malnutrition are linked to diarrhea.
Causes of Diarrhea
- Contamination-Unsafe drinking water-Surveys have estimated that over one-third of rural groundwater sources in India may be contaminated with microbes. Likewise, in urban areas, water supply pipelines and open drainage channels running side by side put the safety of drinking water at stake.
- Inadequate availability of water for hygiene especially feminine personal hygiene
- Inadequate sanitation facilities-Lack of access to sanitation facilities in public places including hospitals and schools are a major cause of diseases like diarrhea.
- Open defecation-Millions of Indian toddlers are constantly exposed to disease carried by fecal particles when going to the toilet in open. A single gram of human excrement can contain 10m viruses, 1m bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts and 100 worm eggs.
- Walking barefoot and not washing hands.
- Using unhygienic toilet seats at home, school, office, and other public places.
Is prevention possible?
- Most people from rural areas have shown an unwillingness to discontinue their habits of open defecation even if they are given toilets.
- Many people who already have toilets in their house forgo its use in favor of defecating in the open.
- They believe that defecating in the open is more natural and healthy, and that building a latrine in the house brings impurity to it.
- Improving access to sanitation is a critical step towards reducing the impact of this disease. It also helps create physical environments that enhance safety, dignity, and self-esteem.
- Also, improving sanitation facilities and promoting hygiene in schools especially female personal hygiene benefits both learning and the health of children.
- Child-friendly schools that offer private and separate hygienic toilets for boys and girls. And also toilet safety essential facilities like handwashing with soap or a safe hand sanitizer
So, basically unhygienic toilets are the major cause of diarrhea among children costing them their lives.
World Toilet Day is celebrated every year on 19th November to reach out to the 2.4 billion people living without a toilet.
The main objective of World Toilet Day is to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis a topic often neglected. Today billions of people are struggling to stay well, keep their children alive and working their way to a better future all for the want of a toilet. The theme of World Toilet Day 2017 is "wastewater."
One way to keep your toilets clean is by using PeeSafe products. These products are safe and recommended by doctors. PeeSafe Toilet Seat Sanitizer Spray and their Travel Toiletries make sure your bathroom and toilet area is protected from germs and harmful bacteria.
Keep your children safe, use PeeSafe
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✍️ This article was curated by Anshu Bhatia was first published on SafetyKart on 16th Nov 2017
