Policies Aimed at Health-related Causes of Undernutrition

1. Policies Aimed at Health-related Causes of Undernutrition Text extracted from: The World Food Problem Leathers & Foster, 2004 http://www.lastfirst.net/images/product/R004548.jpg

2. Director General of World Health Organization, 1989 • “ If we could increase the health spending in the developing countries by only $2 per head, • we could immunize all their children, • eradicate polio, and provide the drugs to cure all their causes of diarrheal disease, • acute respiratory infection, tuberculosis, malaria, schistosomiasis • and sexually transmitted diseases.” http://www.who.sk/obr/nakajima.jpg Hiroshi Nakajima

3. Policies promoting low cost health for the poor • Good health promotes good nutrition • Good nutrition promotes good health • Cheaper to maintain good health • Than to try to cure sick people • Low cost health for poor • Barefoot doctors in China • Nutrition huts in Philppines • Health huts in Haiti http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/20021/1960nian.htm Barefoot Doctors, China

4. U.S. Public Health Policies • 1840s: modern sewage systems • 1900s: Drinking water • 1923: Salt fortified • Iodine • 1940: Flour fortified • Iron • Thiamin • Riboflavin • Niacin http://www.ames.lib.ia.us/farwell/publication/Pub6940.htm Marston Water Tower, 1897

5. Subsidizing Maternal and Child Health Services • 1974: less than 5% children in developing world immunized against • Measles • Tetanus • Diphtheria • Pertussis • Tuberculosis • Polio • Today: 80% immunized due to government policies • Ex: World Health Organization • 36 million infants/yr not immunized http://maconareaonline.com/news.asp?id=14271

6. Maternal and Child Health Centers • Immunization • Including hepatitis B, yellow fever • Vitamin distribution • Vitamin A pills cost 5 cents to make • Monitor Child Development • Oral Rehydration Therapy • Promote Breast Feeding • Nutrition Education • Family Planning http://www.new-agri.co.uk/image/043/dev01b.jpg Maternal Health Center, Malawi

7. Problems with Baby Formula • Water supply contaminated with human excrement • Household hygiene poor • Flies • Feces • No refrigerator • Wood stove, little fuel • No equipment to clean bottle • Uneducated mother • No knowledge of germs http://www.emag.uni-bremen.de/emag/2004/projects/wterprob/my%20home.html

8. Public Water Case Study • Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 1976 • 50% of municipal water supply leaked out • Few shut off valves • Little incentive to conserve • Direct service to 150,000 relatively wealthy • 400,000 poor supposed to use 27 public stand pipes http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/100/100feature25_photos.htm Public Water Pump, Port-au-Prince

9. Public Water Case Study • Extreme water scarcity solutions: • 40,000 people relied on leaks in pipes • 95,000 more wealthy people shared with neighbors • 300,000 bought water through private vendors http://www.ehponline.org/docs/1994/102-12/focus1.html Port-au-Prince

10. Public Water Case Study • Private Water Market • Tanker trucks • Filled up free at hydrants • 2,000 connected households • sold water to neighbors • 14,000 people were mobile vendors • Bought water from connected households • Delivered to customers • 2 cents a bucket http://www.wehaitians.com/haitian%20suffering.html Port-au-Prince

11. Public Water Case Study • Private Water Market • Customers paid out $3.8 million/year • Municipal Water Authority earned $650,000/yr • Family of 5 would pay $4/month for 11 litres/day • 40% of families earned $20/month or less • Poorest purchased water only for drinking • Bathed in surface runoff http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/geographical/fossez.asp Port-au-Prince