Few things are required for basic health in the world such as clean air, food, and water. For some developing nations, these simple amenities are not obtainable. In areas such as Kenya, the issue of clean water and sanitation are being addressed, with the ultimate goal of improving health for those living in poverty. Living on a minimum budget, many find it difficult to afford the necessities for their families and challenging decisions must be made to ensure the survival of one’s family. Attempting to put a stop to the corruption surrounding water supply and cleanliness, according to The World Bank, Kenya’s new constitution states that is a right for the citizens to have access to clean water and sanitation. Allowing the public, the poor included, to receive clean water is a major way in improving the health and lives of the indigenous. This improvement guarantees a bacteria free water supply which has the potential to decrease the amount of bacteria and infectious diseases lurking around such environments. Small steps such as amending a constitution to include simple health requirements for people can make a change in the overall health condition.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22974525~menuPK:34457~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html
While your points on making sure the water supply should be free of harmful microbials are, for the most part, true. It may not be so easy to undo the damage done. Most of the time, as said in class, people drink from the same places that they go to the bathroom or wash themselves. The grime and fecal matter don't just go away or degrade, it stays there. While crucially important, some countries just might not be able to afford the whole cleaning process for all their water sources.
ReplyDeleteThis will be a big help for people access clean water in Kenya. For those people living conditions are particularly poor and the government doesn’t recognize the slum as its responsibility, and provides no basic water or sanitation, education or health services.They more likely have health problem. As discuss on the lecture that overcrowded conditions spread disease quickly, and most children suffer poor health because of inadequate nutrition and lack of access to clean water and sanitation.Better sanitation mean better health for them.Small steps like hygiene and sanitation training for pupils improve their living and decrease the mortality rate.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is true that water supply is at the root of many health issues, it does not necessarily mean that a new constitution stating that it is a right will suddenly improve the water conditions in Kenya. It is important to look into how the infrastructure in Kenya will change in response to this applied constitution and how the Kenyan government will enforce such a statement. The country of Kenya is 224,080 sq miles, and in order to provide clean water to each square mile, new sanitation systems and water supply networks will need to be built. It may be simple to identify the source, but implementation to make changes to the source is a long drawn out process that may take years to become effective. In developing countries, this can become a major roadblock in reaching goals, as the next government can just easily scrap the plans to improve the lives of its citizens.
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