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Hoang TKD, Binh QA, Bui XT, Le TH, Dang BT, Nguyen HH, Ngo TTM, Kohler P, Makohliso S, Maryna P, Raab M, Vanobberghen A, Hayter A, Schönenberger K. Assessment of water, sanitation, and hygiene services in district health care facilities in rural area of Mekong Delta, Vietnam. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:775. [PMID: 36255561 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10179-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Access to sufficient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services is a crucial requirement for patients during therapy and general well-being in the hospital. However, in low- and middle-income countries, these services are often inadequate, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality of patients. This study aimed at assessing the current situation of WASH services in six District Health Care Facilities (DHCFs) in rural areas of the Mekong Delta provinces, Vietnam. The results showed that these services were available with inappropriate quality, which did not compromise the stakeholders' needs. The revealed WASH infrastructures have raised concerns about the prolonged hospital stays for patients and push nosocomial infections to a high level. The safety of the water supply was doubted as the high E. coli (> 60%) and total coliform incidence (86%) was observed with very low residual chlorine concentration (< 0.1 mg/L) in water quality assessment. Moreover, water supply contained a high concentration of iron (up to 15.55 mg/L) in groundwater in one DHCF. Technical assessment tool analysis proved that the improper management and lack of knowledge by human resources were the primary roots of the observed status WASH services. Improvement of the perceptions of WASH should be done for the hospital staff with collaboration and support from the government to prevent incidents in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi-Khanh-Dieu Hoang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet street, district 10, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
| | - Quach-An Binh
- Dong Nai Technology University, Dong Nai, Bien Hoa City, Vietnam
| | - Xuan-Thanh Bui
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet street, district 10, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam.
- Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam.
| | - Thi-Hieu Le
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet street, district 10, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
| | - Bao-Trong Dang
- HUTECH University, 475A, Dien Bien Phu, Ward 25, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Hong-Hai Nguyen
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thi-Tra-My Ngo
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology & Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet street, district 10, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
| | - Petra Kohler
- EssentialTech Centre, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 10, EPFL 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Solomzi Makohliso
- EssentialTech Centre, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 10, EPFL 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter Maryna
- University of Applied Sciences & Arts, Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Martin Raab
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Vanobberghen
- Health Technology and Telemedicine Unit (HTTU) of the Swiss Centre for International Health (SCIH), Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Klaus Schönenberger
- EssentialTech Centre, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 10, EPFL 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Talukder B, van Loon GW, Hipel KW, Chiotha S, Orbinski J. Health impacts of climate change on smallholder farmers. One Health 2021; 13:100258. [PMID: 34027006 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The health of smallholder farmers is crucial for ensuring food and nutritional security for two billion people. However, their health is in jeopardy for several reasons including challenges from climate change impacts. Using a narrative literature review supported by field observations and informal interviews with key informants in India, Bangladesh and Malawi, this paper identifies and discusses the health impacts of climate change under four categories: (i) communicable diseases, (ii) non-communicable diseases, (iii) mental health, and (iv) occupational health, safety and other health issues. The health impacts of climate change on smallholder farmers will hamper the realization of many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and a series of recommendations are made to regional and country governments to address the increasing health impacts of accelerating climate change among smallholder farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byomkesh Talukder
- Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Canada
| | - Gary W van Loon
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Keith W Hipel
- System Engineering Department, Waterloo University; Canada Centre for International Governance Innovation Coordinator, Conflict Analysis Group, Waterloo, Canada
| | | | - James Orbinski
- Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Canada.,Faculty of Health, York University, Canada
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Health Implications of Drinking Water Salinity in Coastal Areas of Bangladesh. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16193746. [PMID: 31590283 PMCID: PMC6801928 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16193746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Coastal areas in South Asian countries are particularly vulnerable to elevated water salinity. Drinking water salinity has been found to be associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Our study aimed to find if excess drinking water salinity was associated with increased hospital visits with an array of health effects in coastal sub-districts of Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 157 participants from three coastal sub-districts. A face-to-face interview was conducted to collect salinity exposure and hospital visit data. Water samples were collected from both drinking and other household water sources for the measurement of salinity and total dissolved solids (TDS). CVD, diarrhea, and abdominal pain related hospital visits were found to be significantly associated with high water salinity and TDS. Households exposed to high salinity demonstrated a higher frequency of hospital visits than the low salinity-exposed households. People exposed to high salinity seemed to lack awareness regarding salinity-inducing health effects. Water salinity is a public health concern that will continue to rise due to climate change. Therefore, raising awareness about the health risks of water salinity is essential for the government to frame policies and mitigation strategies to control this emerging threat.
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