International
Cholera: vaccination or improved sanitation?
18 May 09
With a new, cheaper anti-cholera vaccine about to be released, the debate continues on whether it is better to control the disease through vaccination or by improving sanitation practices.
Water shortages: political upheaval and economic stagnation loom, UN report warns
24 Apr 09
Demand for water is increasing due to population growth and mobility, rising living standards, changes in food consumption, and increased energy production, especially biofuels. These are among the conclusions of the 3rd United Nations World Water Development Report, released in March 2009. The latest edition emphasizes the role of water in development and economic growth.
Household water treatment: scaling-up is premature say researchers
13 Mar 09
A critical review concludes that the widespread promotion of household water treatment (HWT) is premature given the available evidence. More research is needed before before HWT can be recommended to policy makers and implementers.
Cholera: incidence under-reported, millions infected every year says WHO
10 Feb 09
According to the World Health Organization, the incidence of cholera is being systematically under-reported. It estimates that the disease is infecting millions of people a year, 10 times more than the number of cases reported.
Guinea worm: 'close to eradication', says Carter Center
10 Dec 08
The US-based Carter Center says that health workers are on the verge of eradicating Guinea worm, a parasitical disease that has affected millions of people in Africa and Asia. Cases have been cut by 99.7% and there are hopes that the disease will be completely wiped out by 2010.
Monitoring: UK and Netherlands allocate €6 million, UN-Water presents pilot report
02 Oct 08
A new joint initiative from the UK and the Netherlands will allocate €6 million over five years to an annual report and high level meeting focused on reviewing progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water and sanitation. At the same time, the UN-Water launched the Global Annual Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS).
G8: disappointment at lack of “a breakthrough in the global sanitation and water crisis”
10 Sep 08
Hopes of a "breakthrough in the global sanitation and water crisis" at the 2008 Hokkaido Toyako G8 summit were "dashed as the G8 delivered a communiqué largely devoid of concrete actions to help the 2.6 billion people lacking access to a safe toilet, and the 1.1 billion people lacking access to clean water", according to End Water Poverty coalition.
Sanitation: slow progress, action crucial, say 2400 experts in Stockholm
05 Sep 08
Slow progress on sanitation will cause the world to badly fail the Millennium Development Goals while weak policy, poor management, increasing waste and exploding water demands are pushing the planet towards the tipping point of global water crisis. Action is crucial, stakes are high and time is running out were key messages coming from the 2008 World Water Week in Stockholm.
Corruption in the water sector: overlooked threat for development and sustainability
23 Jul 08
New report shows how corruption undermines the global response to the water crisis, climate change and food shortages.
The Lancet: "Sanitation has languished at the bottom of the international agenda for far too long"
11 Apr 08
Sanitation has languished at the bottom of the international agenda for far too long and the global health community has been complicit in letting it stay there. This unacceptable situation must change now, says The Lancet.
