Tips to prevent water-borne diseases

Zee Media Bureau/Salome Phelamei

Water-borne disease or water-related diseases are any illness caused by recreational or drinking water contaminated by human or animal feces, which contains pathogenic microorganisms.

Some of the common water-borne diseases are: Typhoid fever, malaria, dysentery, diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis, worms, polio, etc.

According to the World Health Orgnaisation (WHO), water-borne diseases cause about 1.8 million human deaths annually, with various forms of waterborne diarrheal disease being the most prominent ones affecting mainly children in developing countries.

Here are several ways to prevent water-borne diseases:

• Drink only filtered/boiled water.
• Store water in a clean container,
• Water jars/containers should be washed daily.
• Always wash hands before and after preparing food or eating, likewise, children should be taught on hand washing.
• It is mandatory to wash hands with soaps or hand sanitisers after using washroom, changing your child's diaper .
• Consume warm and home cooked foods while avoiding street foods.
• Wash food thoroughly befor cooking.
• Always store foods/beverages covered.
• Make sure that the pipes and tanks that supply water to your house are properly maintained and clean.
• Using detergent and hot water, discard or flush any stool in the toilet.
• Travellers should only drink bottled water and avoid uncooked food.
• People suffering from water-borne diseases should not go to work untill fully recovered to avoid spreading.