Linkages between Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene - Child Undernutrition and Diarrheal Prevalence in Lao PDR

1. Linkages between Water, Sanitation and Hygiene - child undernutritionand diarrheal prevalence in Lao PDR Preliminary Analysis

2. Access to improved water sources reduces rates of childhood diarrhea, underweight and stunting

3. SANITATION: Access to improved sanitation facilities reduces a child’s likelihood of getting diarrhea, being underweight or stunted

4. However, not everyone who has access to a latrine in Lao PDR uses that latrine to dispose of faeces • All of these households (approx. 60% of total Lao PDR) have the option of disposing of child faeces using their improved latrine or toilet on their premises • Yet only 35.4% do so (dark blue and red blocks) • The vast majority (64.6%) choose unsafe methods instead, such as leaving it in the open (21%) or throwing it into the garbage (9.2%) • Since the majority of households in Lao PDR now have access to improved sanitation facilities (59.2%) these are statistically significant figures

5. This is the case across all the provinces in Lao PDR: latrines are not being used to dispose of child faeces

6. Yet, statistics show that safe disposal of child faeces is linked to reduced rates of diarrhea, underweight and stunting

7. WATER: If children are part of households which have access to piped water they are less likely to have diarrhea, be underweight or stunted

8. Whereas if a child has access to surface water they are more likely to have diarrhea, be underweight or stunted

9. Yet there is relatively little difference between access to other forms of improved or unimproved water sources and diarrheal/undernutrition prevalence

10. Water treatment has relatively little impact on a child’s likelihood to contract diarrhea

11. Key messages: Summary • Access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities is associated with a lower child’s likelihood of contracting diarrhea, being underweight and stunted • However, having access to a latrine does not necessarily mean that a family will use it for its primary purpose, that is, disposal of faeces. Only 35% of families with children 0-2 years who have access to a latrine or toilet on their premises actually use it to dispose of their child’s faeces. • The vast majority of child faeces is left out in the open (2006: 63%; 2011: 43%) or buried (2006: 13%; 2011:19%), regardless of whether the family has access to sanitation facilities or not. • Whilst use of latrines or toilets to dispose of children’s faeces safely has improved 2006 and 2011 (11.4%18.6%), the rate of acceleration is not sufficient to narrow the gap with the increasing sanitation coverage (now at 59%). • Disposing of a child’s faeces in a safe manner (using a latrine) is associated with lower child’s likelihood of getting diarrhea, being underweight or stunted. Burial of faeces is the second best option if latrines are unavailable • Access to piped water is associated with the reduced likelihood of diarrhea , underweight and stunting, compared to surface water.