Over 300,000 Children under Five Died from Diarrheal Diseases Linked to Limited Access to Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in 2015 – UNICEF

NEW YORK (October 14, 2016) – With cholera spreading fast in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, and with a new outbreak in war-ravaged Yemen, UNICEF urges children, families and communities to make washing hands with soap a habit to help prevent the spread of diseases.

On the eve of Global Handwashing Day, UNICEF says that, in 2015, more than 300,000 children under the age of five died globally from diarrheal infections linked to poor access to safe drinking water and sanitation – a rate of more than 800 per day. Yet many of these deaths could have been prevented through the simple act of handwashing with soap.

“Every year, 1.4 million children are dying from largely preventable diseases like pneumonia and diarrhea,” said UNICEF’s global head of water, sanitation and hygiene Sanjay Wijesekera. “These are staggering numbers, but they could be greatly reduced by working with children and families to adopt a very straightforward solution – handwashing. We know, for example, that handwashing with soap before meals and after using the toilet could reduce the incidence of diarrheal infections by 40 percent.” 

Proper handwashing practice also contributes to the healthy development of children by keeping them in school. Handwashing actually improves school attendance by reducing the spread of preventable diseases, which means children are not staying home because of illness.

“Handwashing just makes sense as a frontline preventive measure to keep children safe from disease – it’s simple, cost effective and a proven lifesaver,” said Wijesekera.  

In Haiti, a country with poor water and sanitation infrastructure and a persistent cholera outbreak, suspected cholera cases and acute diarrhea have increased sharply since the October 4 hurricane.

“This is everyone’s worst nightmare,” said Marc Vincent, UNICEF Representative in Haiti. “Less than two weeks after the hurricane, cholera may be spreading in areas where it previously barely existed and diarrhea is preying on already vulnerable children. Immediate action is essential – children’s health is at risk.”

Facts on Handwashing:

• 1 gram of feces contains 100 billion bacteria.
• Approximately 1 in 5 people globally wash their hands after using the toilet.
• Each year, 1.7 million children do not live to celebrate their fifth birthday because of diarrhea and pneumonia.
• When children wash their hands with soap after going to the toilet or before eating, they reduce their risk of getting diarrhea by more than 40 percent. 
• Acute respiratory infections like pneumonia are the leading cause of death in children under the age of five.
• Evidence suggests that handwashing with soap after using the toilet and before eating could reduce the pneumonia infection rate among children by around a quarter.

Download multimedia content for Global Handwashing Day at: http://weshare.unicef.org/mediaresources

Download photos and broll from cholera treatment centers in Haiti.

About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact:
Sophie Aziakou, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org