Health impact: deaths associated with incomplete water and sanitation provision in African refugee camps

In the period from 2005 to 2007, 1,400 deaths were estimated to be directly attributable to incomplete water and sanitation alone in refugee camps in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. This is reported in an article [1] describing the use of a WHO methodology to estimate the burden of disease directly associated with incomplete water and sanitation provision for the first time in refugee camps in sub-Saharan African countries. A comparison with national morbidity estimates from WHO shows that although diarrhoea estimates in the camps are often higher, mortality estimates are generally much lower, which may reflect on more ready access to medical aid within refugee camps. Despite the many limitations, these estimates highlight the burden of disease connected to incomplete water and sanitation provision in refugee settings and can assist resource managers to identify camps requiring specific interventions. Additionally the results reinforce the importance of increasing dialogue between the water, sanitation and health sectors and underline the fact that efforts to reduce refugee morbidity would be greatly enhanced by strengthening water and sanitation provision

[1] Cronin, A.A. … [et al.] (2009). Quantifying the burden of disease associated with inadequate provision of water and sanitation in selected sub-Saharan refugee camps. Journal of water and health ; vol. 7, no. 4 ; p. 557-68. doi: 10.2166/wh.2009.089

Contact: Aidan A. Cronin, Public Health and HIV Section, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Switzerland, aacronin@gmail.com

Keywords

• Africa
• Emergencies
• Sanitation
• Water supply
• Water-related diseases