Lack of Toilets and Clean Water Stunts Millions of Indian Children

India has more stunted children than Nigeria, Pakistan, China and the Republic of Congo combined, with 48 million under the age of five.

India has the world's largest number of stunted children, according to a new report. The stunted growth is due to lack of toilets, dirty water and poor hygiene.

Despite high economic growth in recent years, India has more stunted children than Nigeria, Pakistan, China and the Republic of Congo combined, with 48 million under the age of five -- about 30 percent of the global total, a WaterAid report said.

Non-Invasive Test may Help Predict Premature Birth, Poor Growth in Babies
A new research has found that a specific molecule detected in pregnant women could predict whether the baby will be born premature or if the fetus will suffer poor growth

‘In India, 76 million do not have access to safe water and 774 million live without adequate sanitation.’

Stunting is a form of malnutrition in which children are shorter than normal for their age and is largely irreversible after the age of two.

If they survive, they grow up physically and intellectually weaker than their better-fed peers.

WaterAid says a lack of toilets and clean water are causing high levels of stunting in India.

Toxic Mix of Urine and Dirty Water in Boss�s Tea Lands Maid in a Soup
A maid lands in a soup after mixing urine and dirty water in her employer's tea.

That is because high rates of open defecation lead to contamination that can spread disease and infection.

Data collated by WaterAid showed that 140,000 children die every year from diarrhea in India, while 76 million do not have access to safe water and 774 million live without adequate sanitation.

Indian Government Launches a Program to Reduce Diarrhea Deaths in the Country
Between July 27, 2015, and August 8, 2015, Asha workers will distribute ORS packets to every household with under-five children in remote areas.

"India has the highest number of people in the world... practising open defecation, which spreads deadly diseases and makes children more susceptible to diarrhoea and other infections," said Megan Wilson-Jones, WaterAid health and hygiene analyst.

"So it is no surprise that so many children in India suffer from stunted growth," she added.

1 in 4 Healthcare Workers' Hands Contaminated by Infection Diarrhea Germs: Study
Nearly one in four healthcare workers' hands were contaminated with Clostridium difficile spores after routine care of patients infected with bacteria, finds a new study.

Open defecation has long been a major health and sanitation problem in India, where almost 594 million people -- nearly half the population -- defecate in the open, according to UNICEF.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed the need to clean up India since storming to power in 2014 and has repeatedly urged every household to have a toilet within four years to end the spread of disease.

Nigeria ranked second with 10.3 million stunted children while Pakistan stood third in WaterAid's study with 9.9 million.

Impoverished Bangladesh fared better than its bigger, wealthier neighbour India, recording 5.5 million cases in its 160 million-strong population.

The country has almost eliminated open defecation in just over a decade through a concerted campaign to build toilets.

East Timor was the country where stunting was most prevalent.

Nearly 58 percent of the young nation's children suffered from the condition, while Germany had the lowest rate at 1.3 percent.

Source-AFP