The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged increased buy-in and support for treatment of childhood diarrhoea, using zinc or oral rehydration salts in efforts to cut the number of children under age five affected by diarrhoea without access to clean water.
PSN, a member of a coalition of seven civil society groups, which comprise the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH), said government needed to create
incentives for local health care providers and private sector to increase production, distribution and promotion of zinc and oral rehydration salts.
In comments marking World Water Day, PSN said more effort was needed to achieve goals set for fresh water and sanitation, despite overall improvement in the quality of sources of water in Nigeria since 2008. “Most people in Nigeria still do not have access to safe drinking water, a key contributing factor for the high rates of diarrhoea and related child deaths,” said PSN’s Remi Adeseun, who directs programme strategy at PACFaH. He said Nigeria remained ranked among 10 countries home to almost two-thirds of the global population without access to improved drinking water sources. Estimates have suggested up to 63.2 million people in Nigeria don’t have access to safe water, and over 112 million people don’t have access to adequate sanitation in Nigeria. “It is obvious that Nigeria may not meet the fresh water for all target in the MDGs.
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