PROPER MEASURES AND PREVENTIVE METHODS

In medieval times, people would dispose of their trash out the window. This was not a problem until there was an increase of population and decrease of land. The great amount of trash in the streets and land became a problem. For example, in the beginning of the 19^th century in Ghana, Accra, the population doubled from the beginning of the century to the middle. Ghanaian's streets became filled with trash. Disease and death were blamed on lack of sanitation and inadequate garbage disposal in the city.
Clean water is a necessity for life. Water treatment plants clean and treat water so that it is safe to drink. Water treatment plants get rid of harmful pollutants and liquid waste and make the water safe to return to the environment. Water enters treatment plants from rivers, reservoirs, wells, and streams. It is treated and returned into the environment. Sewage water runs through sewer pipes into wastewater treatment plants. After it is treated, it is sent out to streams, oceans, rivers and used for irrigation systems. Both wastewater and water treatment plants remove dangerous materials, chemicals, and microorganisms from the water.
When countries do not have waste management programs, it puts individuals at risk for serious risk of contracting diseases. For example, a country that does not have a health care waste program is putting their citizens at risk for contracting blood illnesses. Medical scissors, syringes, and other hospital wastes need to be carefully disposed of after use due to the risks to citizens and the environment. One of the most important problems in developing a sanitation program is money. Some countries do not have the funding to run the sanitation and water plants.
Diarrheal diseases are the most common problem caused by poor sanitation and contaminated water. Long-term health issues caused from contaminated water include skin lesions that can cause skin, bladder, and lung cancer. Millions of people are at risk for developing arsenic poisoning because they depend on water supplies that may be contaminated and do not have a water supply that is safe.
Cholera is a bacterial infection throughout the intestinal tract. It causes diarrhea and if left untreated, can cause severe dehydration and death. Cholera can be stopped by having access to drinking water that is safe. Developing good sanitation and hygiene can also prevent this infection.
Acute respiratory infections can also be caused by poor sanitation. Respiratory infections are one of the biggest causes of death in the world. There are about 4 million cases of death annually reported in the world. Half of these individuals are children. Studies show that better hygiene practice prevents the increased infections. Combining the cases of diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections, uncontrolled sanitation and hygiene is the leading cause of death in children.