Open Sewage and Poor Drainage System Damage the Health of Slum Residents; A Case Study of Hamatiyan, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Abstract

Provision of safe sewage system, adequate sanitation and personal hygiene are vital for the sustainable environmental conditions and reducing the incidence of diarrhea, malaria, trachoma, hepatitis A and B and morbidity levels. The provision of adequate sanitation and better sewage system is not only a development oriented strategy in itself, it can also yield other socio-economic benefits in terms of improved health status, quality of labor force and reduced burden-of-disease. Water, sanitation and sewage systems are the neglected sector in Bahawalpur. Most of the households in Bahawalpur do not have access to adequate sanitation system. The objective of the study is to discuss the sewage problem and its impact on human health in Hamatiyan. The majority of inhabitants of the area are poor and deprived in basic needs such as education, health, and safe water supply and sanitation facilities. The findings show these constraints in a better way and indicate the alarming situation to the policy makers and authorities.