Water supply, sanitation and health risks in Douala 5 municipality, Cameroon.

Autor: Sanou SM; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon., Temgoua E; Department of Soil Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon., Guetiya WR; Department of Biochemistry, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon., Arienzo A; Department of Biology, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy., Losito F; Department of Biology, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy., Fokam J; Chantal Biya International Reference Centre (CIRCB), Yaoundé, Cameroon., Onohiol JF; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon., Djeunang B; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon., Zambou NF; Department of Biochemistry, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon., Russo G; Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome la Sapienza, Rome, Italy., Antonini G; Department of Biology, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy., Panà A; School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy., Colizzi V; Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Igiene e sanita pubblica [Ig Sanita Pubbl] 2015 Jan-Feb; Vol. 71 (1), pp. 21-37.
Abstrakt: Background: In the poor zones of sub-Saharan Africa, the conventional drinking water network is very weak. The populations use alternative groundwater sources which are wells and springs. However, because of urbanization, the groundwater sources are degrading gradually making pure, safe, healthy and odourless drinking water a matter of deep concern. There are many pollutants in groundwater due to seepage of organic and inorganic pollutants, heavy metals as well as microbiological contamination. This study was carried out in October 2012 and aimed to analyze the practices and behaviors of populations related to water supply that may constitute potential risks of microbiological contamination and emergence of waterborne diseases.
Method: This study was carried out on a sample of 285 households, distributed in twelve principal quarters of the Douala V municipality in Cameroon. After data collection through the questionnaires, the selection of vulnerable quarters was done by the tabulation of some specific results on the questionnaire. The microbiological analysis was carried out using an innovative rapid test called "Micro Biological Survey (MBS)" that has been developed and patented by MBS srl, a recent spin-off of the University of Roma Tre.
Result: We found out that 42.30% of households used water from drilled wells (forages), 33.80% from Cameroon National Water Company (CDE) distribution network, 9.50% from spring, and 9.40% used other source of water such as buying industrial mineral water. However, it should be noted that, as dangerous as it may be, wells ("puits" in French) water is used as permanent source of drinking water by 5% of households. In general, 63.2% of households affirmed not to have benefited the fitting of public water point. Moreover, among the quarters were the households affirmed to have benefited from the development of a public water point, 52.5% of these water point were no longer functional. From the obtained data we have assessed that 83% of wells analyzed are faecally contaminated and all the forages analyzed (100%) are not contaminated. The most affected people by water-related diseases are children under 5 years (43%).
Conclusion: We highly recommend the City Council of Douala V to restrict the use of the contaminated wells and provide alternative water sources such as forages for public use and to ensure that microbiological quality of the new and already existing water sources is controlled regularly by the Technical Service.
Databáze: MEDLINE