Abstract/Description
Despite global advancements, unsafe drinking water is a major cause of illness, ranked as the eighth highest worldwide (Forouzanfar et al., 2015). Studies indicate that even improved water sources, can harbour faecal contamination (Shaheed et al., 2014; Bain et al., 2014b). Globally, 1.8 billion people rely on drinking water contaminated with faecal matter (Bain et al., 2014a), with pathogenic E. coli being a primary concern. In Pakistan, the situation is dire. About 25 million people, particularly children, suffer due to open defecation, leading to 53,000 child deaths annually from diarrhoea (UNICEF, 2021). Pathogenic E. coli is a significant contributor to waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, which is linked to stunted growth, impaired cognitive development, and increased mortality. Diarrheal diseases contribute to about 13.5% of global stunting cases (Danaei et al., 2016). In Pakistan, over 700 children under the age of five die daily from diarrheal diseases related to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (UN, 2023). In Pakistan, the situation is particularly severe, with the country ranking third globally in water and sanitation challenges, affecting 2.1 million people (IMF, 2022). The statistics highlight the urgent need to address the waterborne disease burden, especially in vulnerable populations such as children under five, who are more susceptible to these illnesses due to their immature immune systems (CDC, 2010; Mondal et al., 2009). This study is motivated by the critical health challenges posed by unsafe drinking water, aiming to investigate the impact of household exposure to pathogenic E. coli on the physical health of children under five in Pakistan including (Stunting and Underweight) and mortality (Infant and Neonatal).
Keywords
Unsafe drinking water, Pathogenic E. coli, Diarrheal diseases, Child mortality, Physical Health
Location
S1 room, Adamjee building
Session Theme
Environment, Energy, and Growth Nexus
Session Type
Parallel Technical Session
Session Chair
Heman Das Lohano, Institute of Business Administration
Session Discussant
Sahar Mahmood, Institute of Business Administration ; Junaid Memon, Institute of Business Administration
Start Date
9-12-2024 2:30 PM
End Date
9-12-2024 4:30 PM
Recommended Citation
Khatoon, A. (2024). Impact of Pathogenic E. Coli in Drinking Water on the Well-being of Children. CBER Conference. Retrieved from https://ir.iba.edu.pk/esdcber/2024/program/11
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Included in
Bacteria Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Epidemiology Commons, Fungi Commons, Maternal and Child Health Commons, Water Resource Management Commons
Impact of Pathogenic E. Coli in Drinking Water on the Well-being of Children
S1 room, Adamjee building
Despite global advancements, unsafe drinking water is a major cause of illness, ranked as the eighth highest worldwide (Forouzanfar et al., 2015). Studies indicate that even improved water sources, can harbour faecal contamination (Shaheed et al., 2014; Bain et al., 2014b). Globally, 1.8 billion people rely on drinking water contaminated with faecal matter (Bain et al., 2014a), with pathogenic E. coli being a primary concern. In Pakistan, the situation is dire. About 25 million people, particularly children, suffer due to open defecation, leading to 53,000 child deaths annually from diarrhoea (UNICEF, 2021). Pathogenic E. coli is a significant contributor to waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, which is linked to stunted growth, impaired cognitive development, and increased mortality. Diarrheal diseases contribute to about 13.5% of global stunting cases (Danaei et al., 2016). In Pakistan, over 700 children under the age of five die daily from diarrheal diseases related to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (UN, 2023). In Pakistan, the situation is particularly severe, with the country ranking third globally in water and sanitation challenges, affecting 2.1 million people (IMF, 2022). The statistics highlight the urgent need to address the waterborne disease burden, especially in vulnerable populations such as children under five, who are more susceptible to these illnesses due to their immature immune systems (CDC, 2010; Mondal et al., 2009). This study is motivated by the critical health challenges posed by unsafe drinking water, aiming to investigate the impact of household exposure to pathogenic E. coli on the physical health of children under five in Pakistan including (Stunting and Underweight) and mortality (Infant and Neonatal).