Did you know that Honduras is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere, behind Haiti? Before I started researching Honduras in preparation for this project, I had no idea. There are several health risks associated with poverty, including: lack of access to healthcare, adult literacy rates and poor access to water. In Honduras, 38% of people have no access to healthcare. Additionally, adult literacy rate in Honduras is a mere 26.6%. Both significantly impacting the health of the country. However, the real concerns are focused around the water related issues that cause myriad of diseases often resulting in death.
Important water statistics:
-Barely 1/2 of the population in Honduras has access to disinfected water.
-50,000 Honduran children under the age of 5 die each year from diseases resulting in a lack of pure drinking water.
-80% of illness in Honduras originate from drinking dirty water.
In addition, in rural Honduras many homes lack proper sanitation/waste removal as they have bathrooms (eh hem, "bathrooms") consisting of hand-dug latrines.............Como? This creates a significant issue because waste then penetrates the water supply and creates many contamination issues.
When I was in Rolla, I met with several engineers who are currently working on water projects in Santiago. One of them mentioned that before they came to the city, residents were hiking up a giant hill just to get clean drinking water. Many times it would take them 2 or more hours round-trip just to get water to drink and cook with. I'll never forget that...especially as I sit here today staring at a leaky water fountain at work..... For me, all I have to do is get up, remove the lid to my water bottle and fill it up....poof!....I can drink clean water! In America, access to clean water is such a normal thing and we often take it for granted. We leave the water running as we brush our teeth, stay in the shower for just a few extra minutes, prolong fixing a leaky fountain because it would be a hassle.....psh, hassle? A hassle for me would be to hike a hill everyday lasting up to two hours just to get enough water for my family to drink that day. Additionally, it would also be a hassle to contract intestinal parasites, dysentery, diarrhea and dehydration because of contaminated water.
Think about these things the next time you empty your water glass because your water is a little warm.....
I'm very excited to learn more about the health inequalities in this vulnerable country. Hopefully my experiences will open my eyes and help me realize all of the great things I have in my life. Even the simplest things....such as a glass of water.
Disclaimer: I've posted this blog from my phone, so
I apologize for any mis-spellings! ;). Will post more tonight!
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