In many parts of Sub Saharan Africa, as in Cameroon, access to water remained a huge problem and about 1 in 5 people lack safe water. The absence of water contributes to many water related diseases such as, typhoid, malaria, yellow fever cholera and diarrhoea.
Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is indispensable to development just about 50% of SUB Saharan population have adequate access to water services. Most African countries were unable to meet MDG 7’s WASH target, and are entering the SDG period with inauspiciously low baselines in WASH access.
Improved WASH is essential to the achievement of SDGs. Evidence shows that 85% of diarrhoeal deaths are WASH-related. Children weakened by frequent diarrhoea episodes are more likely to be seriously affected by malnutrition and opportunistic infections. Open-defecation free communities, access to safe clean drinking water and hand washing with soap are among the most effective means of reducing instances of diarrhoea, respiratory infection and worms and Trachoma-one of the most common causes of blindness in the developing countries, which is linked to sanitation and extreme poverty.
