Appreciate Clean Water

Water being pumped into tanker trucks from the polluted Bengo River.


Water is delivered into the slum areas where the government does not supply clean water.

Todays New York Times has a story about the current epidemic of cholera in Angola. Cholera is a diarrheal disease caused by infection with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Infections that cause diarrheal disease are the number one cause of deaths (due to infections)in the world. There are two licensed vaccines (a 3rd vaccine produced in the USA was recently discontinued) for cholera but neither of them are recommended for travelers. Antibiotic treatment for Cholera lessens the symptoms and shortens the course of the disease but the best treatment is based on rehydration. Oral rehydration works in many cases but severe cases need treatment by intravenous therapy.

There really is no reason that anyone, anywhere should become infected with cholera. It's purely a financial matter. Any graduate of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will tell you that a clean water supply and adequate sewage treatment are first necessary to rid the world of many, many infectious pathogens. Control of insect vectors is probably next on the list. Lack of clean water throughout the world is what keeps many infectious disease people in business. Providing clean water for everyone would do far more than antibiotics and vaccines to protect people from infectious diseases.