Cholera

This study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases aims at measuring the prevalence of NDM-1 β-lactamase-producing bacteria in the drinking water and seepage samples in New Delhi, India. Plasmid-encoding Carbapenemase-resistant Metallo-B-Lactamase (PCM or NDM-1) is an enzyme that makes bacteria resistant, not only to a broad range of antibiotics such as carbapenems and other β-lactam, but also to multiple other antibiotic classes, leaving very few treatment options available, when a person gets infected with such bacteria.

                    Map of NDM-1-positive samples from New Delhi centre and surrounding areas

Plasmids carrying the gene for this carbapenemase, can have up to 14 other antibiotic resistance determinants and can transfer this resistance to other bacteria, resulting in multidrug-resistant or extreme drug-resistant phenotypes. Resistance of this scale can have serious public health implications because much of modern medicine is dependent on the ability of antibiotics, to treat infections.

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This paper by National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) is based on a prospective, community based study in an impoverished urban site in Kolkata in order to measure the burden of cholera, describe its epidemiology, and search for potential risk factors that could be addressed by public health strategies. The study population was enumerated at the beginning and end of the study period. Surveillance through five field outposts and two referral hospitals for acute, watery, non-bloody diarrhoea was conducted from May 2003 to April 2004.Read More

This document is an educational booklet on sanitation and hygiene published by Utthan, which works towards empowering women's groups to seek clean and adequate quality of water for all.

The booklet includes the details of seven steps that can be undertaken to attain sanitation and hygiene. The details have been explained in a manner that is simple and understandable and includes illustrations that are self explanatory and easy to follow.

The seven steps include:Read More

1. Use and protection of water sources
2. Managing drinking water

   Attachment	Size
   Seven Steps to Hygiene (English) - An initiative by Utthan (2009)	3.91 MB

According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), climate change is likely to have a greater impact on India compared to other countries similarly positioned, on account of the unique combination of its geography, diverse population characteristics and extremely high carbon-related energy dependence (Source: The Hindu, September 5, 2008). Climate change is bound to affect the basic requirements for maintaining health - clean air and water, sufficient food, adequate shelter, and freedom from disease given the already high level of poverty, low nutritional levels and poor public health infrastructure in the country. (Dream 2047, Vigyan Prasar).Read More