Clean water to save 4000 lives annually from cholera and halve deadly diarrhoeal diseases across Malawi and Zambia - new WaterAid data reveals
New WaterAid research shows clean water in Southern Africa could eliminate cholera and reduce diarrhoeal diseases by 50%, saving two countries over a billion dollars a year
WaterAid is calling on the UK and global governments to urgently scale up investment in water and make eradicating cholera an international priority
This winter, you can help WaterAid by donating to its ‘Where there’s water’ winter appeal to turn the taps on for communities around the world
Deadly cholera cases across Southern Africa’s cholera hotspots, Malawi and Zambia, could be eliminated, and other diarrhoeal diseases reduced by 50% - saving up to 4,000 lives each year – if communities have access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, new WaterAid research finds.
One year on from some of the largest cholera outbreaks recorded in Southern Africa's history, international charity WaterAid is calling on UK and global governments to make eradicating cholera – an entirely preventable disease with water, sanitation and hygiene - an international priority. WaterAid is also urging the UK public to play their part by supporting its ‘Where there’s water’ winter appeal to help get clean water to communities so they can live free from the constant threat of deadly diseases.
Cholera – an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae – is a deadly but preventable disease. It is currently on the rise in communities living where there is limited or no access to basic water supplies, soap, decent toilets and safe disposal of human waste.
New research published today by WaterAid, reveals the staggering economic and human cost of cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases in Zambia and Malawi. This research comes as Southern Africa - a region on the frontline of the cholera pandemic - braces for its next rainy season, which could bring with it a surge in cholera cases.
The new research, carried out by lead development economist Guy Hutton, finds that:
- Cases across Malawi and Zambia’s cholera hotspots, could be eliminated, and other diarrhoeal diseases reduced by 50% if communities have access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, saving up to 4,000 lives each year.
- Investing in these basics in cholera hotspots would deliver GDP savings for Malawi and Zambian government of a staggering US$1.6 billion combined, meaning more money could be invested in better infrastructure, healthcare, and education, helping eradicate poverty and save more lives.
- Vital funds, currently absorbed by costly cholera damages – including emergency responses, medical costs, loss of earnings, as well as vaccines - could be reinvested into the countries’ economies.
- With access to water, sanitation and hygiene in its cholera hotspots, Zambia could save approximately $US1 billion every year – 4.23% of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), preventing 1,850 unnecessary deaths.
- With access to water, sanitation and hygiene in its cholera hotspots, Malawi could save US$594 million per year in expensive damages – equivalent to 4.19% of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - while saving 1,741 lives.
- Health care costs of treating cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases in cholera hotspots are estimated to be US$3.3 per capita in Malawi and US$11.0 per capita in Zambia, representing 2.5% and 6.1% of national health spending, respectively.
- Every $1 invested in water and sanitation in cholera hotspots, equates to around $10 gained in averted costs - acost-effective solution that will inspire lasting change.
WaterAid is working tirelessly across Malawi and Zambia to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to people living in poverty. This June, WaterAid worked with communities in the cholera hotspot of Sylvia Masebo in Lusaka to provide three 10,000 litre tanks from a safe borehole, providing clean water to 10 tapstands, producing 30,000 litres of clean water a day to over 7000 people. Families in Chinganji, a remote region about 16 miles inland from the world-famous Lake Malawi were left devastated by the recent outbreak there in 2022. The charity is aiming to pipe clean water to 305 households currently living without it.
WaterAid is urging the UK public to join determined families in Chinganji and around the world this winter and donate to its ‘Where there’s water’ winter appeal, to help stop the spread of this deadly disease and consign it to the history books.
But it’s not the role of the public alone. It is possible to stop cholera in its tracks – the UK achieved this in the 1800s through improved water and sanitation. Now WaterAid is calling on UK and global governments to urgently scale up global investment in water and make eradicating cholera an international priority.
Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive, WaterAid, said:
“Cholera devastates communities. Yet, it is entirely preventable with clean water, proper sanitation, and good hygiene. Families across the world are losing their loved ones to this tragic disease, simply because of where they live. This is an undeniable injustice.
“Our new research proves that in addition to the tragic human cost, cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases are costing economies billions. Yet progress on UK and global investment has been woefully slow.
“UK and global governments must urgently make eradicating cholera an international priority globally – something that can only be done by rapidly scaling up overseas investment in water, sanitation and hygiene.
“We can all help make a difference. That is why we are also urging people across the UK to donate to our ‘Where there’s water’ appeal, because where there’s water, there is powerful change - children can go to school, businesses can thrive, and communities can live free from the constant threat of disease.”
From healthcare-workers to cholera survivors and the recently bereaved, WaterAid spoke to people living in some of the world’s worst cholera hotspots.
Sange Mbilishi, Nurse and midwife at the Matero Level 1 hospital in Lusaka, recalls what it was like to treat patients during the Zambia’s worst cholera epidemic earlier this year:
“We had no option but to source nurses from other wards. Even midwives ended up being recruited in the cholera medical tents to help. It was emotional, because cholera is preventable and now we see a huge number of people dying. At the end of the day, you become attached to these patients. You see somebody walking in then before you know it, they are gone.”
19-year-old Chifuniro and her sister Christina, 22 lost their grandmother and adoptive parent, Modestar, to the disease just after Christmas during Malawi’s deadly outbreak 2022.
“There were no signs or symptoms to warn us. It seemed like any other day. That morning, she had gone to the farm and seemed just fine.
“We went to the garden to weed and when we got back, she was complaining of a stomach-ache. Then she sent me to go and buy medicine. When I got back, I found she had started vomiting and having diarrhoea I had never seen anything like it. I told my sister, “Grandma is not well”... and then I went and told our aunt. We came back together to find she was lying in the rain unable to talk.”
Chifuniro’s aunt took Moderstar to the local to health care facility, where her condition deteriorated further.
“When my aunt brought her some food, she told my aunt, “The way I feel in my body, I don’t think I’ll make it. Just tell my children to take care of each other”. Moments later, she just fell, and at that moment, I think she was already dead. She had only been in the hospital for one day before she died.”
ENDS
Interviews with experts from the UK and Southern Africa are available upon request.
For more information, please contact:
Rosie Stewart, Senior Media Officer, [email protected] or Katherine Roberts, Senior Media Officer [email protected]. Or call WaterAid’s press line on 020 7793 4537, or email [email protected]
Notes to editors
Research Methodology:
- The WaterAid study draws on a global study carried out under the auspices of the GTFCC WASH working group in 2018-19, led by the author of this new study, and updates the figures for Malawi and Zambia.
- The analysis is based on the number of people living without basic WASH services and the number of deaths and cases related to cholera and other diseases associated with poor WASH in Malawi and Zambia. It is assumed that cholera deaths and cases will continue to occur at the same rate as the last three years average, if no urgent action is taken on increasing WASH service coverage in cholera hotspots.
- All damage costs and benefits are estimated as a total for the hotspots and then compared to national GDP and estimated on a per capita basis.
- Full report and methodology can be provided on request.
Interviews with experts from the UK and Southern Africa are available upon request.
About WaterAid
WaterAid is an international not-for-profit determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. We work alongside communities in 22 countries to secure these three essentials that transform people’s lives. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 29 million people with clean water and nearly 29 million people with decent toilets.
For more information, visit our website wateraid.org/uk; follow us on Twitter @WaterAidUK, @WaterAid or @WaterAidPress; or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.
- 703 million people in the world – almost one in ten – don’t have clean water close to home.
- 2.2 billion people in the world – more than one in four – don’t have safe water.
- Almost 2 billion people in the world – one in four – lack soap and/or water to wash their hands at home, if they have a place at all.
- 1.5 billion people in the world – almost one in five – don’t have a decent toilet of their own.
- 570 million people in the world – 1 in 14 – have a decent toilet but have to share it with people outside their family. This compromises the privacy, dignity and safety of women and girls.
- Almost 400,000 children under five die every year due to diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene. That's more than 1000 children a day, or almost one child every one and a half minutes.
- Investing in safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services provides up to 21 times more value than it costs.
1: WHO/UNICEF (2023), Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2022: special focus on gender (accessed 11 Jul 2023)
2: WHO (2023), Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: 2019 update (accessed 24 Jul 2023)
3: WaterAid (2021), Mission-critical: Invest in water, sanitation and hygiene for a healthy and green economic recovery (accessed 1 Nov 2023).
