The chronic shortage of safe drinking water in Iraq could push up incidences of diarrhoea, a leading killer of children in the country, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Iraq warned, on World Water Day on 22 March. “Iraq's young children are particularly vulnerable to diarrhoea, which can easily kill or lead to severe malnutrition and stunted growth,” said Roger Wright, UNICEF Representative for Iraq, in a statement. “Latest reports suggest we are already seeing an increase in diarrhoea cases, even before the usual onset of the ‘diarrhoea season’ in June. It is particularly worrying that water tankering services have had to be halted in Baghdad this month due to lack of funds,” Wright said.

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Source: UNICEF, 22 Mar 2007

Tags: water resources management, water-related diseases