According to UNICEF, more than four million people still do not have access to safe drinking water in Cote D’Ivoire. This lack of adequate water quality in Cote D’Ivoire results in the deaths of children every single day from disease, and more are suffering through illness.

The water crisis is controlling everything. Children are being denied the right to education, in lieu of spending their days water-fetching. Almost 86 percent of women in Cote D’Ivoire are responsible for supplying water to their families, and those farmers that are able to work are not managing to perform at very productive levels due to the commonplace of diseases and illnesses.

Moving Forward with Solutions

In 2007, 1,170 village water pumps were either fully constructed or rehabilitated, which directly affected 700,000 people’s lives. In additon, 734 latrines (outhouses) were built in 150 villages, which is vital for sanitation improvements.

UNICEF has laid out three main focus areas to further aid for water quality in Cote D’Ivoire:

• The supply of water in community, school and health centers and peri-urban environments.
• The promotion of hygiene and sanitation.
• The epidemiological surveillance to prevent water-related diseases.

More than 20 percent of the population of Cote D’Ivoire does not have access to clean drinking water. Partners throughout the world are coming together to assist countries like Cote D’Ivoire, which has made an undeniable and significant impact for the better. However, more must be done for the water quality in Cote D’Ivoire to ensure that millions of people are not suffering from preventable disease and premature death just because of the drinking water quality.

– Dustin Jayroe

Photo: Flickr