It is reported that in each year, an estimated 3-5 billion episodes of diarrhoea result in an estimated 3 million deaths, mostly among children. Waterborne bacterial infections may account for as many as half of these episodes and deaths. Confronted with the challenge, WHO has addressed serious problems related to water, such as drinking water quality, arsenic in drinking water, environmental sanitation and hygiene promotion, heath in water resources development etc.
WHO recognises that most of water born diseases are prevalent in the poorest countries, which contribute to a vicious cycle of poverty-disease-poverty and the continued marginalisation of people living in disease-prone areas.
Coupled with the Water and Sanitation Program, WHO has involved the Panel of Experts on Environmental Management for Vector Control (PEEM), jointly managed with FAO, UNEP and UNCHS. PEEM aims to create a framework for disease vector control as health safeguard in terms of land and water resources development projects and for the promotion of health through agricultural, environmental, human settlement, urbanisation and health programmes and projects.
WHO website