That billions of people around the world have no access to proper water and sanitation is no secret in the global health community, yet there has been an appalling lack of support, commitment and funding towards improving the situation. The issues are discussed in an Editorial in this week's edition of The Lancet.
2.6 billion people worldwide do not have access to even the most basic toilet. The consequences are disastrous: 1.5 million die each year from preventable diarrhoeal diseases as a result. These numbers are known to global health experts, and to governments, yet the arguments for better sanitation continue to be regurgitated with little action taken.
Encouragingly, change does seem to be happening. 32 African countries have now pledged to spend at least 0.5% of their GDP on sanitation and hygiene, A global sanitation fund has just been launched, and Japan, the biggest global donor towards these issues, HAS put water and sanitation on the Hokkaido G8 agenda this July.
To really make a difference, comments the Editorial, the health community must galvanise itself: "the global health community is standing aside, absolving itself of responsibility, and firmly passing the buck to the water and sanitation sectors. The health sector could, and should, be a powerful voice in lobbying governments, and demanding that donors give more funding to water and sanitation, just as it has done, with some success, in advocating for access to essential medicines."
The Editorial adds: " Although not a panacea, there must be stronger political will followed by increased funding which more accurately reflects the tremendous positive impact that improved water and sanitation has on health."
Sanitation has languished at the bottom of the international agenda for far too long and the global health community has been complicit in letting it stay there. “This unacceptable situation must change now” concludes the Editorial.
http://multimedia.thelancet.com/pdf/press/Sanitation.pdf
Journal
The Lancet