Safer water, better health

Safer water for better health -- the first-ever report depicting country-by-country estimates of the burden of disease due to water, sanitation and hygiene highlights how much disease could be prevented through increased access to safe water and better hygiene.

This comprehensive overview provides the epidemiological evidence and economic arguments for fully integrating water, sanitation and hygiene in countries' disease reduction strategies -- a pre-requisite to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It also provides the basis for preventive action by all relevant sectors managing critical water resources and services in support of public health efforts.

Lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene remains one of the world’s most urgent health issues.

NEW - Update of the burden of disease estimates related to WSH

These estimates are an update for the year 2004 of the Table 1: "Summary statistics on deaths and disability related to water, sanitation and hygiene in 2002" (p. 12), and the annex with country statistics.

Number of pages: 53
Publication date: 2008
Language: English