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Between Diarrhoeal Diseases and HIV/AIDS Debates in South Africa -
By Ibinibini Mara
2001-10-25
Recent research has estimated that 43,000 people, mostly poor black children, aged between 0-5 years die from diarrhoeal diseases in South Africa each year, making it one of the leading causes of death. According to G.C. Pegram, N. Rollins and Quentin Espey (1997), there are about 24 million cases of diarrhoea each year, of which three million require medical treatment. The costs of diarrhoeal disease treatments are estimated to R 3,4 billion in direct medical costs, aside from the indirect costs and pain, sufferings and social dislocation caused. A Cost Benefit Analysis on the impact of diarrhoeal diseases in South Africa by the Group for Environmental Monitoring (GEM) in 2001 estimated the economic production losses around R26 billion a year.
The nature of diarrhoeal diseases means that the incidence and severity of these diseases are closely related to environmental health factors. These include access to water in adequate quantities and of suitable quality, suitable sanitation and washing facilities, nutritional status, and access to health services. In addition such factors as hygiene education, maternal education, low level of houses, and household income affect the incidence and impact of these diseases.
Despite being such a pressing social problem it has received relatively little attention. Recent studies have shown that in China, India, Bangladesh, Mali and Burkina Faso, the setting up of specific groups dealing with diarrhoeal disease issues have significantly reduced the rate of deaths caused by diarrhoeal diseases (Water Supply and Sanitation Council, in GESI: Vision 21, 2000). With this in mind, the Group for Environmental Monitoring, Mvula Trust, SANGOCO, Media Training Centre, Medical Resource Council, Environment and Development Agency Trust, and other non governmental organisations met on the 1st of October 2001 and have set up an Anti Diarrhoea Core Advocacy Group to address this crisis.
The Anti-Diarrhoeal Core Advocacy Group (ADCAG) calls for other like-minded organisations, international organisations, churches and other civil society organisations working in the field of Children's Health to join the fight against diarrhoeal related diseases in South Africa. This will require being a watchdog with respect to health policy makers and implementers to redirect their attention to diarrhoeal diseases. Water provision and sanitation improvement are not the only way of reducing the morbidity and mortality rates in the country, but when combined with awareness campaigns and behaviour changes, can improve quality of life and prevent diarrhoeal diseases from killing tens of thousands of people per year in this country. (Source: EPI NEWS, No. 17, October 2001, Email: imara@gem.org.za)
Recent research has estimated that 43,000 people, mostly poor black children, aged between 0-5 years die from diarrhoeal diseases in South Africa each year, making it one of the leading causes of death. According to G.C. Pegram, N. Rollins and Quentin Espey (1997), there are about 24 million cases of diarrhoea each year, of which three million require medical treatment. The costs of diarrhoeal disease treatments are estimated to R 3,4 billion in direct medical costs, aside from the indirect costs and pain, sufferings and social dislocation caused. A Cost Benefit Analysis on the impact of diarrhoeal diseases in South Africa by the Group for Environmental Monitoring (GEM) in 2001 estimated the economic production losses around R26 billion a year.
The nature of diarrhoeal diseases means that the incidence and severity of these diseases are closely related to environmental health factors. These include access to water in adequate quantities and of suitable quality, suitable sanitation and washing facilities, nutritional status, and access to health services. In addition such factors as hygiene education, maternal education, low level of houses, and household income affect the incidence and impact of these diseases.
There should be a great need for an integrated approach from the health, water and sanitation, education and social welfare sectors, in addressing the issue. In addition the problem requires an indisputable recognition of diarrhoeal disease as an epidemic and hence the need for a firm political response by government to tackle the problem.
Despite being such a pressing social problem it has received relatively little attention. Recent studies have shown that in China, India, Bangladesh, Mali and Burkina Faso, the setting up of specific groups dealing with diarrhoeal disease issues have
significantly reduced the rate of deaths caused by diarrhoeal diseases (Water Supply and Sanitation Council, in GESI: Vision 21, 2000). With this in mind, the Group for Environmental Monitoring, Mvula Trust, SANGOCO, Media Training Centre, Medical Resource Council, Environment and Development Agency Trust, and other non governmental organisations met on the 1st of October 2001 and have set up an Anti Diarrhoea Core Advocacy Group to address this crisis.
The group has initiated a course of action, based on successful models implemented in the above-mentioned countries, which has significantly reduced mortality rates caused by diarrhoeal diseases. One issue is to involve all stakeholders to focus on environmental health and hygiene education related to diarrhoeal diseses in South Africa in ten or more years.
The Anti-Diarrhoeal Core Advocacy Group (ADCAG) calls for other like-minded organisations, international organisations, churches and other civil society organisations working in the field of Children's Health to join the fight against diarrhoeal related diseases in South Africa. This will require being a watchdog with respect to health policy makers and implementers to redirect their attention to diarrhoeal diseases. Water provision and sanitation improvement are not the only way of reducing the morbidity and mortality rates in the country, but when combined with awareness campaigns and behaviour changes, can improve quality of life and prevent diarrhoeal diseases from killing tens of thousands of people per year in this country.
Source: EPI NEWS, No. 17, October 2001, Email: imara@gem.org.za
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