5000 children die every day from drinking dirty water.

End Water Poverty event welcomes the UN International Year of Sanitation

The sanitation sector is neglected and marginalised by governments and donors - just as HIV/AIDS was 20 years ago. But today five times more children die every day from bad sanitation than from HIV/AIDS. Toilets are a taboo subject and through lack of action on this issue 5,000 children are dying every day from the diarrhoeal diseases caused by inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene.

Speaking at the event, Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council at the BMA, stated:

"There is a global crisis in sanitation. In developing countries, thousands of children are dying every day due to a lack of adequate sanitation and basic hygiene. Governments must take action now on this vital area of international development.

"It is clear that investing in sanitation generates massive returns on health, the environment and the economy. In fact, the overwhelming evidence is that there is no single development policy intervention that brings greater public health returns than investment in basic sanitation and hygiene practices. The UN estimates that for every $1 spent on sanitation, the return on investment is around $9. The BMA welcomes the UN's International Year of Sanitation and fully supports the End Water Poverty campaign in demanding sanitation and water for all."

150 years ago in London the Great Stink of 1858 caused parliament to close. Only when the stench of rotting sewage reached the Houses of Parliament did the government take action and commission a sewage system for the city. The resulting improvements in sanitation led to improved health and longer life expectancy in the UK.

Today, on behalf of the UK government International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander said:

"The world quite simply can't afford not to invest in sanitation. Two fifths of the world's population have no toilet to use and 5,000 kids die every day because they lack clean water and basic sanitation. The 2008 UN International Year of Sanitation is part of the fight to change this situation and move water and sanitation up the political agenda.

"That's why the UK government insists on action at the highest level on working together across sectors, and it's why we are spending more than ever on water and sanitation. DFID recently announced a £75m project to help provide water and sanitation to over three million of Ethiopia's poorest people where half the population lack a safe water supply. This will build over 7,000 water points as well as toilets in schools and health centres."

End Water Poverty campaigners will be looking to the UK government this year to take the sanitation crisis to Japan for 2008's G8 Summit - to ensure sanitation features firmly on this year's agenda.
End Water Poverty is demanding:

1. A global action plan for sanitation and water with political endorsement at the highest level that recognises the integral role of sanitation in achieving the economic, health and education Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
2. A global taskforce mandated at the highest level to plan, implement and monitor the extraordinary effort that is needed on sanitation and water 
3. A commitment that no credible country plan that is consistent with achieving the sanitation and water MDG targets should fail for lack of finance

For more information, for photos or to speak to an End Water Poverty spokesperson contact: Charlotte Godber on 020 7793 4909 / 07876 330351 or email: charlottegodber@wateraid.org.

Notes to Editor

• End Water Poverty is an international campaign calling for sanitation and water for all. There is a growing coalition of like-minded organisations from all over the world demanding immediate action to tackle this crisis.
• For an up to date list of organisations involved and what's going on around the world, visit: www.endwaterpoverty.org
• Addressing the crisis will cost an extra $10 billion each year until 2015 to reach the UN's Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation. The UN estimate the annual cost of not meeting the Goals is around $38 billion with sanitation accounting for 92% of this value.