The scholarly article, The effects of water shortages on health and human development by Faissal Tarrass(MD, Department of Nephrology and Dialysis),and Meryem Benjelloun (MD), discusses the hardships of water shortages and the toll it takes on the human health. The article states more people are affected from the consequences of water deprivation than those affected from “terrorism, war and mass destruction combined”. As of 2012, over 1.1 billion people lack water access and 2.6 billion lack accesses to essential sanitary needs. The most popular diseases contracted by inadequate sanitation and hand washing needs is “diarrhea, schistosomaiasis, trachoma and intestinal helminthes” (Benjelloun and Tarrass 240) The World Health Organization states these harmful bacteria are responsible for 1.6 million deaths every year. …show more content…
84% of children under the age of five experience this disease and 74% of children ages five to fourteen are infected with intestinal helminthes (Benjelloun and Tarrass 240). Diarrhea alone causes dehydration, malnutrition and weakened immune systems. Bone growth is often stunted as well, due to the fact many children have to fetch large amounts water far away from their homes. This causes a strain on the malnourished bones and often prohibits growth (Benjelloun and Tarrass 241). Benjelloun and Tarrass also found those with diarrheal infection and malnutrition have lower IQ’s and suffer greatly from anxiety. The lack of water access is detrimental to young girl’s education. Girl’s school attendance suffers for a few reason. One they are forced to spends hours attaining water and two because of their sanitary needs after puberty. Pregnant women are more receptive anemia, and maternal fatality causes by inadequate water and sanitary needs especially during delivery (Benjelloun and Tarrass