Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, Mauritania
Access to sufficient quantities of safe drinking water is a human right. Moreover, access to clean water is of public health relevance, particularly in semi-arid and Sahelian cities due to the risks of water contamination and transmission of water-borne diseases. We conducted a study in Nouakchott,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PAGEPress Publications
2013-11-01
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| Series: | Geospatial Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.geospatialhealth.net/index.php/gh/article/view/54 |
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| author | Doulo Traoré Ibrahima Sy Jürg Utzinger Michael Epprecht Ives M. Kengne Baidy Lô Peter Odermatt Ousmane Faye Guéladio Cissé Marcel Tanner |
| author_facet | Doulo Traoré Ibrahima Sy Jürg Utzinger Michael Epprecht Ives M. Kengne Baidy Lô Peter Odermatt Ousmane Faye Guéladio Cissé Marcel Tanner |
| author_sort | Doulo Traoré |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Access to sufficient quantities of safe drinking water is a human right. Moreover, access to clean water is of public health relevance, particularly in semi-arid and Sahelian cities due to the risks of water contamination and transmission of water-borne diseases. We conducted a study in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, to deepen the understanding of diarrhoeal incidence in space and time. We used an integrated geographical approach, combining socio-environmental, microbiological and epidemiological data from various sources, including spatially explicit surveys, laboratory analysis of water samples and reported diarrhoeal episodes. A geospatial technique was applied to determine the environmental and microbiological risk factors that govern diarrhoeal transmission. Statistical and cartographic analyses revealed concentration of unimproved sources of drinking water in the most densely populated areas of the city, coupled with a daily water allocation below the recommended standard of 20 l per person. Bacteriological analysis indicated that 93% of the non-piped water sources supplied at water points were contaminated with 10-80 coliform bacteria per 100 ml. Diarrhoea was the second most important disease reported at health centres, accounting for 12.8% of health care service consultations on average. Diarrhoeal episodes were concentrated in municipalities with the largest number of contaminated water sources. Environmental factors (e.g. lack of improved water sources) and bacteriological aspects (e.g. water contamination with coliform bacteria) are the main drivers explaining the spatio-temporal distribution of diarrhoea. We conclude that integrating environmental, microbiological and epidemiological variables with statistical regression models facilitates risk profiling of diarrhoeal diseases. Modes of water supply and water contamination were the main drivers of diarrhoea in this semi-arid urban context of Nouakchott, and hence require a strategy to improve water quality at the various levels of the supply chain. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:07:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-544254e12bca42119b4d50bd19f66520 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1827-1987 1970-7096 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:07:11Z |
| publishDate | 2013-11-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geospatial Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-544254e12bca42119b4d50bd19f665202022-12-21T23:44:46ZengPAGEPress PublicationsGeospatial Health1827-19871970-70962013-11-0181536310.4081/gh.2013.5454Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, MauritaniaDoulo Traoré0Ibrahima Sy1Jürg Utzinger2Michael Epprecht3Ives M. Kengne4Baidy Lô5Peter Odermatt6Ousmane Faye7Guéladio Cissé8Marcel Tanner9Department of Geography, University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal; Institut National de Recherches en Santé Publique, Nouakchott, Mauritania; Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire, AbidjanInstitut National de Recherches en Santé Publique, Nouakchott, Mauritania; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, BaselDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel; University of Basel, BaselCentre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, BernDepartment of Natural Sciences, University of Yaoundé, YaoundéGeneral Inspection of Health, Ministry of Health, NouakchottDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel; University of Basel, BaselDepartment of Geography, University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar, DakarDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel; University of Basel, BaselDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel; University of Basel, BaselAccess to sufficient quantities of safe drinking water is a human right. Moreover, access to clean water is of public health relevance, particularly in semi-arid and Sahelian cities due to the risks of water contamination and transmission of water-borne diseases. We conducted a study in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, to deepen the understanding of diarrhoeal incidence in space and time. We used an integrated geographical approach, combining socio-environmental, microbiological and epidemiological data from various sources, including spatially explicit surveys, laboratory analysis of water samples and reported diarrhoeal episodes. A geospatial technique was applied to determine the environmental and microbiological risk factors that govern diarrhoeal transmission. Statistical and cartographic analyses revealed concentration of unimproved sources of drinking water in the most densely populated areas of the city, coupled with a daily water allocation below the recommended standard of 20 l per person. Bacteriological analysis indicated that 93% of the non-piped water sources supplied at water points were contaminated with 10-80 coliform bacteria per 100 ml. Diarrhoea was the second most important disease reported at health centres, accounting for 12.8% of health care service consultations on average. Diarrhoeal episodes were concentrated in municipalities with the largest number of contaminated water sources. Environmental factors (e.g. lack of improved water sources) and bacteriological aspects (e.g. water contamination with coliform bacteria) are the main drivers explaining the spatio-temporal distribution of diarrhoea. We conclude that integrating environmental, microbiological and epidemiological variables with statistical regression models facilitates risk profiling of diarrhoeal diseases. Modes of water supply and water contamination were the main drivers of diarrhoea in this semi-arid urban context of Nouakchott, and hence require a strategy to improve water quality at the various levels of the supply chain.http://www.geospatialhealth.net/index.php/gh/article/view/54water, quality, contamination, microbiological analysis, socio-environmental data, risk profiling, diarrhoea, Mauritania. |
| spellingShingle | Doulo Traoré Ibrahima Sy Jürg Utzinger Michael Epprecht Ives M. Kengne Baidy Lô Peter Odermatt Ousmane Faye Guéladio Cissé Marcel Tanner Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, Mauritania Geospatial Health water, quality, contamination, microbiological analysis, socio-environmental data, risk profiling, diarrhoea, Mauritania. |
| title | Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, Mauritania |
| title_full | Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, Mauritania |
| title_fullStr | Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, Mauritania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, Mauritania |
| title_short | Water quality and health in a Sahelian semi-arid urban context: an integrated geographical approach in Nouakchott, Mauritania |
| title_sort | water quality and health in a sahelian semi arid urban context an integrated geographical approach in nouakchott mauritania |
| topic | water, quality, contamination, microbiological analysis, socio-environmental data, risk profiling, diarrhoea, Mauritania. |
| url | http://www.geospatialhealth.net/index.php/gh/article/view/54 |
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