Thursday, March 13, 2014

WaSH and Wellbeing November 2013

Lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation coupled with poor hygiene are important threats to human well-being, especially within the context of global environmental change. Changes in
temperature and precipitation patterns are altering the distribution of water-related pathogens and vectors. Increasing water scarcity reduces effective hygiene practices, contributing to skin and eye infections as well as gastrointestinal illnesses. A lack of, poor management of, or failing water infrastructure compound these issues, exposing rural populations in particular, to adverse health impacts. There is a critical need, both in Canada and globally, to address the problem of inadequate supplies of clean, safe drinking water in rural, remote communities in order to improve health. This invitational working symposium brought together international experts from a variety of sectors to engage in a dialogue concerning WaSH and related health issues faced by rural, remote and indigenous communities.