The public health index has marked a significant improvement with reduction in water-borne diseases and child deaths following laudable success in sanitation coverage throughout the country.The fact is globally recognised that there is no alternative to having good sanitation facilities for a nation to march forward towards the path of progress and prosperity.Sanitation status is directly linked to public health as well as human life and the total sanitation system has emerged as an important development and policy issue at the national, regional and global levels.According to health experts, poor sanitation system causes ill health to parents, especially to mothers, also affecting child health directly through spreading water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, jaundice, etc afflicting people in many ways.Besides, poor sewerage systems also contribute to the outbreak of these diseases and degradation of the environment making the children worst victims as dirty environment causes worm infection in their bodies, a leading cause of child malnutrition.According to statistics, around 125,000 children died annually till 2006 from these diseases because of poor sanitation facilities.Although the children are worst affected, adults of all ages also suffer from these diseases. These diseases also cause a huge loss to working hours of sufferers apart from the treatment cost.A large number of people carry Hepatitis-B virus and many others are afflicted anew for lack of good sanitation facilities contributing to the spread of the disease, which finds children as the prime target due to their low disease-resistance power. –BSS, Rangpur
