Water and wastewater related issues in Sri Lanka

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 305-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.J.G.J. Bandara
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Ground Water ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Agricultural Runoff ◽  
Water And Wastewater

The primary problems concerning water resources in Sri Lanka are the depletion and degradation of the resource caused by various anthropogenic activities. Surface inland waters in urban areas are polluted heavily with domestic sewage and industrial effluents, and in rural areas with agricultural runoff. With regard to ground water in certain areas of the dry zone, there is a high fluoride content and in hard, rocky, alluvial areas, there is a high concentration of iron. In urban over-crowded cities, there is biological contamination of ground water. Over-utilization, particularly through tube wells, is another major problem affecting ground water resources in Sri Lanka. Oil spills, dumping of waste from ships, coral and sand mining, and industrial activities are the main causes of marine pollution in the country. Except for pipe-borne water supply, irrigation and hydropower schemes, in general water resources in Sri Lanka are managed very poorly. Regulations are available to control most water related problems but enforcement of these regulations is lacking. The ultimate result of degradation and depletion of water resources is the increasing health hazards. Water-borne and vector-borne diseases are prevalent, particularly amongst urban low-income communities with poor sanitary facilities and drainage. Despite government initiatives and legislation, very slow progress has been made towards combating water pollution. This paper examines the most significant water and wastewater related issues in Sri Lanka and their controlling mechanisms.

scholarly journals Faecal Contamination in Ground Water Resources of Urban Areas of Ujjain

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (03) ◽  
pp. 42-46
Author(s):  
Vikas Parmar ◽  
Madhubala Purohit
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Ground Water ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Bacterial Contamination ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Hand Pump ◽  
Strip Test ◽  
Bore Well

Ground water is one of the most important natural resource next to air being essential for life. Quality of ground water depends upon natural process, such as wet/dry condition, salts, many geogenic and anthropogenic activities. Among all contamination ground water is more susceptible to microbial contamination. According to WHO report about 80% of all diseases in human being are caused due to drinking water contaminated by bacteria of faecal origin. Various water born diseases are prevalent in Ujjain like typhoid, dysentery, jaundice, amebeosis, colitis etc. Purpose of the study was to assess the bacterial contamination of faecal origin in ground water resources of urban area of Ujjain. For this ground water samples (well, bore well and hand pump) were collected from 6 sub areas of Ujjain city. For the assessment of bacterial contamination of faecal origin H2S strip test of Manja,et.al.(1982) was used. Results clearly indicated that bore well water was found to be safe for drinking, domestic and other purposes.

TURNING FARMERS INTO SOCIAL FARMER ENTREPRENEURS FOR DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remus Runcan
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Healthy Environment ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural Development Programme ◽  
Rural And Urban

According to Romania’s National Rural Development Programme, the socio-economic situation of the rural environment has a large number of weaknesses – among which low access to financial resources for small entrepreneurs and new business initiatives in rural areas and poorly developed entrepreneurial culture, characterized by a lack of basic managerial knowledge – but also a large number of opportunities – among which access of the rural population to lifelong learning and entrepreneurial skills development programmes and entrepreneurs’ access to financial instruments. The population in rural areas depends mainly on agricultural activities which give them subsistence living conditions. The gap between rural and urban areas is due to low income levels and employment rates, hence the need to obtain additional income for the population employed in subsistence and semi-subsistence farming, especially in the context of the depopulation trend. At the same time, the need to stimulate entrepreneurship in rural areas is high and is at a resonance with the need to increase the potential of rural communities from the perspective of landscape, culture, traditional activities and local resources. A solution could be to turn vegetal and / or animal farms into social farms – farms on which people with disabilities (but also adolescents and young people with anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide, and alexithymia issues) might find a “foster” family, bed and meals in a natural, healthy environment, and share the farm’s activities with the farmer and the farmer’s family: “committing to a regular day / days and times for a mutually agreed period involves complying with any required health and safety practices (including use of protective clothing and equipment), engaging socially with the farm family members and other people working on and around the farm, and taking on tasks which would include working on the land, taking care of animals, or helping out with maintenance and other physical work”

scholarly journals Patient perspectives on hypertension management in health system of Sri Lanka: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e031773
Author(s):  
Manuja Perera ◽  
Chamini Kanatiwela de Silva ◽  
Saeideh Tavajoh ◽  
Anuradhani Kasturiratne ◽  
Nathathasa Vihangi Luke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Uncontrolled Hypertension ◽  
Hypertension Management ◽  
Antihypertensive Medications ◽  
Patient Pathways

IntroductionUncontrolled hypertension is the leading risk factor for mortality globally, including low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, pathways for seeking hypertension care and patients’ experience with the utilisation of health services for hypertension in LMICs are not well understood.ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore patients’ perspectives on different dimensions of accessibility and availability of healthcare for the management of uncontrolled hypertension in Sri Lanka.SettingPrimary care in rural areas in Sri Lanka.Participants20 patients with hypertension were purposively sampled from an ongoing study of Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation in rural Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.MethodWe conducted in-depth interviews with patients. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed into local language (Sinhala) and translated to English. Thematic analysis was used and patient pathways on their experiences accessing care from government and private clinics are mapped out.ResultsOverall, most patients alluded to the fact that their hypertension was diagnosed accidentally in an unrelated visit to a healthcare provider and revealed lack of adherence and consuming alternatives as barriers to control hypertension. Referring to the theme ‘Accessibility and availability of hypertension care’, patients complained of distance to the hospitals, long waiting time and shortage of medicine supplies at government clinics as the main barriers to accessing health services. They often resorted to private physicians and paid out of pocket when they experienced acute symptoms attributable to hypertension. Considering the theme ‘Approachability and ability to perceive’, the majority of patients mentioned increasing public awareness, training healthcare professionals for effective communication as areas of improvement. Under the theme ‘Appropriateness and ability to engage’, few patients were aware of the names or purpose of their medications and reportedly missed doses frequently. Reminders from family members were considered a major facilitator to adherence to antihypertensive medications. Patients welcomed the idea of outreach services for hypertension and health education closer to home in the theme ‘Things the patients reported to improve the system’.ConclusionPatients identified several barriers to accessing hypertension care in Sri Lanka. Measures recommended improving hypertension management in Sri Lanka including public education on hypertension, better communication between healthcare professionals and patients, and efforts to improve access and understanding of antihypertensive medications.Trial registration numberNCT02657746.

scholarly journals Groundwater as a Source of Drinking Water in Southeast Asia and the Pacific: A Multi-Country Review of Current Reliance and Resource Concerns

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi Carrard ◽  
Tim Foster ◽  
Juliet Willetts
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Groundwater Resource ◽  
Drinking Water Source ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Sustainable Services

Groundwater is widely acknowledged to be an important source of drinking water in low-income regions, and it, therefore, plays a critical role in the realization of the human right to water. However, the proportion of households using groundwater compared with other sources is rarely quantified, with national and global datasets more focused on facilities—rather than resources—used. This is a significant gap in knowledge, particularly in light of efforts to expand water services in line with the inclusive and integrated agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals. Understanding the prevalence of groundwater reliance for drinking is critical for those involved in water services planning and management, so they can better monitor and advocate for management of water resources that supports sustainable services for households. This paper contributes data that can be used to strengthen the integration of resource considerations within water service delivery and inform the work of development partners supporting this area. We approach this issue from two perspectives. Firstly, we collate data on the proportion of households using groundwater as their primary drinking water source for 10 Southeast Asian and Pacific nations, finding an average of 66% (range of 17–93% for individual countries) of households in urban areas and 60% (range of 22–95%) of households in rural areas rely on groundwater for drinking. Together, these constitute 79% of the total population across the case study countries. Secondly, we review current and emerging groundwater resource concerns within each country, using a systems thinking approach to assess how groundwater resource issues influence household water services. Findings support the case for governments and development agencies to strengthen engagement with groundwater resource management as foundational for achieving sustainable water services for all.

Strategies used to establish palliative care in rural low- and middle-income countries: an integrative review

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1110-1129
Author(s):  
Atsede Aregay ◽  
Margaret O’Connor ◽  
Jill Stow ◽  
Nicola Ayers ◽  
Susan Lee
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Globally, 40 million people need palliative care; about 69% are people over 60 years of age. The highest proportion (78%) of adults are from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where palliative care still developing and is primarily limited to urban areas. This integrative review describes strategies used by LMICs to establish palliative care in rural areas. A rigorous integrative review methodology was utilized using four electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Emcare, Embase classic+Embase and CINAHL). The search terms were: ‘palliative care’, ‘hospice care’, ‘end of life care’, ‘home-based care’, ‘volunteer’, ‘rural’, ‘regional’, ‘remote’ and ‘developing countries’ identified by the United Nations (UN) as ‘Africa’, ‘Sub-Saharan Africa’, ‘low-income’ and ‘middle- income countries’. Thirty papers published in English from 1990 to 2019 were included. Papers were appraised for quality and extracted data subjected to analysis using a public health model (policy, drug availability, education and implementation) as a framework to describe strategies for establishing palliative care in rural areas. The methodological quality of the reviewed papers was low, with 7 of the 30 being simple programme descriptions. Despite the inclusion of palliative care in national health policy in some countries, implementation in the community was often reliant on advocacy and financial support from non-government organizations. Networking to coordinate care and medication availability near-patient homes were essential features of implementation. Training, role play, education and mentorship were strategies used to support health providers and volunteers. Home- and community-based palliative care services for rural LMICs communities may best be delivered using a networked service among health professionals, community volunteers, religious leaders and technology.

scholarly journals “Our Tradition Our Enemy”: A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Women’s HIV Care in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 833
Author(s):  
Hailay Gesesew ◽  
Pamela Lyon ◽  
Paul Ward ◽  
Kifle Woldemichael ◽  
Lillian Mwanri
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Southwest Ethiopia

Evidence exists that suggests that women are vulnerable to negative HIV treatment outcomes worldwide. This study explored barriers to treatment outcomes of women in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia. We interviewed 11 HIV patients, 9 health workers, 10 community advocates and 5 HIV program managers from 10 institutions using an in-depth interview guide designed to probe barriers to HIV care at individual, community, healthcare provider, and government policy levels. To systematically analyze the data, we applied a thematic framework analysis using NVivo. In total, 35 participants were involved in the study and provided the following interrelated barriers: (i) Availability— most women living in rural areas who accessed HIV cared less often than men; (ii) free antiretroviral therapy (ART) is expensive—most women who have low income and who live in urban areas sold ART drugs illegally to cover ART associated costs; (iii) fear of being seen by others—negative consequences of HIV related stigma was higher in women than men; (iv) the role of tradition—the dominance of patriarchy was found to be the primary barrier to women’s HIV care and treatment outcomes. In conclusion, barriers related to culture or tradition constrain women’s access to HIV care. Therefore, policies and strategies should focus on these contextual constrains.

scholarly journals Influences of Building Characteristics and Attitudes on Water Conservation Behavior of Rural Residents

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7620
Author(s):  
Yan Liu ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Han Zhao ◽  
Yibin Ao ◽  
Linchuan Yang
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Water Saving ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Conservation Behavior ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Rural Residents ◽  
Building Characteristics

Urbanization promotes the development of human civilization but brings great challenges, such as air pollution, lack of water resources, and environmental damage, to the natural environment. Water conservation effectively alleviates the lack of water resources. Existing studies mostly focus on water conservation behavior in urban areas and overlook rural areas. This study takes rural residents in Chengdu as the research object and selects four villages to conduct empirical research and fill this research gap. A total of 165 valid questionnaires are collected after face-to-face interviews. First, descriptive analysis is used to analyze the current situation of rural residents’ water conservation behavior. Second, exploratory factor analysis and the binary logistic regression model are used to explore the relationship between building characteristics, water conservation attitudes, and water conservation behavior. The results show that (1) the rural residents’ water conservation attitude plays an important role in water conservation behavior; “environmental values” is the most significant factor, followed by “saving money and joint participation;” (2) rural building characteristics such as layout of the kitchen and shower facilities significantly affect the water conservation behavior of rural residents. Based on the analysis, several suggestions are made for building a new water-saving rural area in Chengdu, such as strengthening the publicity and education of water-saving behavior and subsidizing water-saving facilities. This research provides a theoretical basis for local government departments to formulate relevant policies and serves as a valuable reference for the protection of water resources in other rural areas.

scholarly journals Prevalence and access to care for cardiovascular risk factors in older people in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional survey

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e038520
Author(s):  
Maria Lisa Odland ◽  
Tahir Bockarie ◽  
Haja Wurie ◽  
Rashid Ansumana ◽  
Joseph Lamin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Access To Care ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease Risk ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Low Income Countries

IntroductionPrevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRFs) is increasing, especially in low-income countries. In Sierra Leone, there is limited empirical data on the prevalence of CVDRFs, and there are no previous studies on the access to care for these conditions.MethodsThis study in rural and urban Sierra Leone collected demographic, anthropometric measurements and clinical data from randomly sampled individuals over 40 years old using a household survey. We describe the prevalence of the following risk factors: diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, overweight or obesity, smoking and having at least one of these risk factors. Cascades of care were constructed for diabetes and hypertension using % of the population with the disease who had previously been tested (‘screened’), knew of their condition (‘diagnosed’), were on treatment (‘treated’) or were controlled to target (‘controlled’). Multivariable regression was used to test associations between prevalence of CVDRFs and progress through the cascade for hypertension with demographic and socioeconomic variables. In those with recognised disease who did not seek care, reasons for not accessing care were recorded.ResultsOf 2071 people, 49.6% (95% CI 49.3% to 50.0%) of the population had hypertension, 3.5% (3.4% to 3.6%) had diabetes, 6.7% (6.5% to 7.0%) had dyslipidaemia, 25.6% (25.4% to 25.9%) smoked and 26.5% (26.3% to 26.8%) were overweight/obese; a total of 77.1% (76.6% to 77.5%) had at least one CVDRF. People in urban areas were more likely to have diabetes and be overweight than those living in rural areas. Moreover, being female, more educated or wealthier increased the risk of having all CVDRFs except for smoking. There is a substantial loss of patients at each step of the care cascade for both diabetes and hypertension, with less than 10% of the total population with the conditions being screened, diagnosed, treated and controlled. The most common reasons for not seeking care were lack of knowledge and cost.ConclusionsIn Sierra Leone, CVDRFs are prevalent and access to care is low. Health system strengthening with a focus on increased access to quality care for CVDRFs is urgently needed.

scholarly journals Neonatal mortality and leading causes of deaths: a descriptive study in China, 2014–2018

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e042654
Author(s):  
Yuxi Liu ◽  
Leni Kang ◽  
Chunhua He ◽  
Lei Miao ◽  
Xiaoqiong Qiu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Neonatal Mortality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Government Interventions ◽  
Neonatal Deaths ◽  
Live Births ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

ObjectiveThe present study estimated the national and urban–rural levels and causes of neonatal deaths in China annually between 2014 and 2018 to provide data support for the further end of preventable neonatal deaths for China and other low-income and middle-income countries.MethodsThe study was based on data from the National Maternal and Child Health Surveillance System. All neonates of surveillance districts (gestational week: ≥28 weeks) who died after delivery have been involved in the study. The mortality rate and the leading causes of death for neonates were analysed.ResultsThe neonatal mortality rate (NMR) of China has steadily decreased from 5.9 deaths per 1000 live births in 2014 to 3.9 deaths per 1000 live births in 2018. The NMR in 2018 of urban and rural areas was 2.2 deaths per 1000 live births and 4.7 deaths per 1000 live births, respectively. The leading preventable causes of neonatal deaths are the same in the urban and rural areas were same, which were preterm birth, intrapartum complications and pneumonia. Mortality rates of these three causes fell significantly between 2014 and 2018 but contributed to a higher proportion of deaths in rural areas than urban areas. The proportion of preventable deaths accounted for 74.6% in 2018.ConclusionsThe NMR of China has decreased steadily from 2014 to 2018. However, the inequality between urban and rural areas still exists. The goal of government interventions should be to reduce the health inequality of neonates and further take targeted measures to eliminate preventable neonatal death.

Faecal sludge management in low income areas: a case study of three districts in the Ashanti region of Ghana

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Appiah-Effah ◽  
Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko ◽  
Samuel Fosu Gyasi ◽  
Esi Awuah
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Sludge Management ◽  
The Public ◽  
Ashanti Region ◽  
Toilet Facility ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Public Toilets ◽  
Faecal Sludge

The challenge of faecal sludge management (FSM) in most developing countries is acute, particularly in low income areas. This study examined the management of faecal sludge (FS) from household latrines and public toilets in three districts in the Ashanti region of Ghana based on household surveys, key informant interviews and field observations. Communities did not have designated locations for the disposal and treatment of FS. For household toilets, about 31 and 42% of peri-urban and rural respondents, respectively, with their toilets full reported that they did not consider manual or mechanical desludging as an immediate remedy, although pits were accessible. Households rather preferred to close and abandon their toilets and use public toilets at a fee or practise open defecation. For the public toilets, desludging was manually carried out at a fee of GHC 800–1,800 and the process usually lasted 8–14 days per toilet facility. The study showed that FSM has not been adequately catered for in both peri-urban and rural areas. However, respondents from the peri-urban areas relatively manage their FS better than their rural counterparts. To address the poor FSM in the study communities, a decentralized FS composting is a potential technology that could be used.

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