Question

HOW INCREASE IN POPULATION LEDS TO REDUCE ABILITY OF HEALTH SERVICES AND DETERIORATING SANITARY CONDITION

Answer 1

Environmental sanitation is a major public health issue in India. Recent interventional studies on environmental sanitation in India highlighted the importance of prioritizing control strategies. Research related to the appropriate cost-effective intervention strategies and their implementation in Indian context is a big challenge. This paper discusses various intervention strategies related to environmental sanitation in India and emphasizes to prioritize it according to the need of country.

Keywords: Control strategies, environmental sanitation, India, prioritizationEnvironmental sanitation envisages promotion of health of the community by providing clean environment and breaking the cycle of disease. It depends on various factors that include hygiene status of the people, types of resources available, innovative and appropriate technologies according to the requirement of the community, socioeconomic development of the country, cultural factors related to environmental sanitation, political commitment, capacity building of the concerned sectors, social factors including behavioral pattern of the community, legislative measures adopted, and others. India is still lagging far behind many countries in the field of environmental sanitation.[1] The unsanitary conditions are appalling in India and need a great sanitary awakening similar to what took place in London in the mid-19th century.[2] Improvement in sanitation requires newer strategies and targeted interventions with follow-up evaluation.[3] The need of the hour is to identify the existing system of environmental sanitation with respect to its structure and functioning and to prioritize the control strategies according to the need of the country. These priorities are particularly important because of issue of water constraints, environment-related health problems, rapid population growth, inequitable distribution of water resources, issues related to administrative problems, urbanization and industrialization, migration of population, and rapid economic growth.