In Afghanistan, 25% of deaths among children under 5 are directly - TopicsExpress



          

In Afghanistan, 25% of deaths among children under 5 are directly attributed to contaminated water and bad sanitation. These deaths are by and large caused by diarrhea, which is the leading cause of illness in children under 5 years old. Among other things diarrhea leads to mal-nourishment, and malnourishment leads to more health problems. 54% of children age 6 months to 5 years have stunted growth (low height for their age) due to exposure to contaminated water/bad sanitation, and 67% weigh less then they should. Helminth infection is another heath problem caused by poor water quality, sanitation, and hygiene. An examination of 1001 children in poor communities showed that 47.2% of them had some form of Helminth. Helminth can lead to a number of health problems, including mal-absorption of nutrients from food, challenges to physical growth, problems with cognitive development in school aged children, and iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia which in woman can cause low birth weight, premature birth, and children being born with disabilities. Other health problems in Afghanistan that are caused by contaminated water include dehydration, typhus fever and kidney disease, which have killed thousands of people nationwide.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 05:22:56 +0000

Trending Topics



Recently Viewed Topics




© 2015