Dia Mundial da Água - Nada como uma boa companhia

Hoje, encontrei Gabeira no centro do Rio. Como sempre, simpático e com muita paciência para me escutar. No Dia da Água, nada como uma boa companhia. Foto: Helen Marcia

No Dia Mundial da Água, a Unicef lança vídeo que promove a higiene e o tratamento da água na Guiné.

Under the theme, Clean Water for a Healthy Word, this years World Water Day, 22 March, aims to spur action on improving water quality worldwide. Here is a related story on UNICEF's water-treatment and hygiene efforts in Guinea.

KAMBAYA VILLAGE, Guinea, 19 March 2010 In the small village of Kambaya, the residents take water from unsafe sources that are contaminated with bacteria. Doing so leads to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

Water quality is a key factor for health, and one of the most efficient ways to improve access to safe drinking water is to promote household water treatment. Several months ago, the villagers in Kambaya began using chlorine to decontaminate their water.

In response to a severe cholera outbreak in 2006, UNICEF has partnered with Tinkisso, local NGO in the region of Dabola, to produce 620 bottles of chlorine every day. One bottle covers the needs of a family for one month and contributes significantly to household hygiene and health.

Since the inception of the programme, the number of cases and deaths from cholera has decreased considerably. According to the World Health Organization, more than 8,000 cases were reported in 2007, and 311 people died from the disease. The following year the number of cases dropped to 513, with only 32 reported deaths.

UNICEF is also committed to supporting WASH in Schools to promote hygienic practices and sanitary environments. UNICEF provides latrines and water points for children and teachers at Boubere School, in the region of Dabola. Hand washing is promoted at critical moments of the day, such as after going to the toilets, and before and after eating.

"A child, who learns about good hygiene practices early, adopts them easily, and it also means that, in the future, we won't need to invest in changing the unhealthy behaviors of the adults, as we do today," said Mamdou Oury Bah, a health and sanitation expert for UNICEF. Fonte: www.gabeira.com.br