Linking LifeStraw® to MDGs

LifeStraw^® and LifeStraw^® Family are both point-of-use water interventions – truly unique offerings from
Vestergaard Frandsen that address the concern for affordably obtaining safe drinking water at home and outside. These complementary safe water tools have the potential to accelerate progress towards the MDG target of providing access to safe drinking water, which would yield health and economic benefits; thus contributing to the achievement of other MDGs like poverty reduction, childhood survival, school attendance, gender equality and environment sustainability.

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

LifeStraw^® safe water interventions minimise the risk of waterborne disease, promoting economic gain by reducing healthcare expenses and increased productivity

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

The consumption of safe drinking water through LifeStraw^® water filters prevent children from acquiring diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases, helping ensure that children wake up healthy each morning to continue their education.

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

LifeStraw^® water filters empower women and girls by facilitating access to safe drinking water. LifeStraw^® Family works on highly turbid water, which allows women to convert 'dirty' water collected from any nearby source into safe drinking water. Saved time, particularly for women and young girls, is a major benefit. Beneficiaries of water and santiation projects in India reported benefits like less tension/conflict in homes and communities; community unity, self-esteem, women's empowerment (less harassment) and improved school attendance (WaterAid 2001).

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

The consumption of contaminated water exposes children to waterborne diseases like hepatitis A and E, cholera, typhoid, poliomyelitis and other diseases that cause diarrhoea. By affecting normal consumption of food and reducing the adsorption of nutrients, diarrhoea is also an important cause of malnutrition, which can lead to impaired cognitive development and physical growth¹, reduced resistance to infection², and potentially, long-term gastrointestinal disorders³. The use of LifeStraw^® point-of-use water filters prevent morbidity and mortality resulting from diarrhoea among infants and children under five.

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Diarrhoea is amongst the indirect medical causes that weaken pregnant women's immune systems. Provision of clean drinking water through LifeStraw^® has a positive impact on maternal health.

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

Globally, there are about four billion cases of diarrhoea each year⁴. It is a leading cause of child mortality, morbidity and malnutrition. Diarrhoea is also a very common symptom of HIV/AIDS and a cause of significant morbidity and mortality amongst the HIV-infected. Safe drinking water through LifeStraw® filters ensures healthier lives for the immunocompromised, including children under five, pregnant women, the elderly and those living with HIV/AIDS.

References

1. Guerrant, D.I. et al. 1999. Association of early childhood diarrhea and cryptosporidiosis with impaired physical fitness and cognitive function four-seven years later in a poor urban community in northeast Brazil. Am J Trop Med Hyg 61:707 – 713

2. Baqui, A.H. et al. 1993. Malnutrition, cell-mediated immune deficiency, and diarrhea: a community-based longitudinal study in rural Bangladeshi children. Am J Epidemiol 137:355 – 365

3. Schneider RE and Shiffman J, 1978. The potential effect of water on gastrointestinal infections prevalent in developing countries. Am J Clin Nutr 31: 2089 – 2099

4. WHO. 2007. Combating waterborne disease at the household level