Abstract
Introduction: Children are particularly vulnerable to climate change. This case study describes effects of shortages in irrigation and drinking water on children of a rural village in Sri Lanka. Objective: To assess children’s health and describe the coping strategies at family and community level in a village seriously challenged by water shortage. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Serupitiya, a village in the eastern slopes of Nuwara Eliya district identified in 2012 as one of the worst drought affected communities in Sri Lanka. After a six month period of drought, data was gathered using an interviewer administered questionnaire from 68 households (out of total 207) selected by systematic random sampling. Children Results: In the 68 households 98 children were Increased household stress levels caused irritability, apathy, short tempers and increased quarrels among adults in over 80% of families. Development was age appropriate in 95%; schooling was uninterrupted and drop-out rate Conclusions: Main child health issues were protein energy malnutrition (PEM), skin sepsis, poor oral hygiene, respiratory symptoms and disturbed sleep at night. School aged children had significantly more severe acute PEM than preschoolers. Preventive health care strategies provided to 0- 5 year olds had effectively prevented PEM and micronutrient deficiency in under-fives. (Key words: water shortage; child health; climate change) Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health , 2014; 43 (1): 23-26 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v43i1.6657
Highlights
Preventive health care strategies provided to 0- 5 year olds had effectively prevented protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and micronutrient deficiency in under-fives
Sri Lanka is not spared from global warming
We report on the health of children of a rural community seriously challenged by water shortage, resulting from changed rainfall patterns
Summary
This case study describes effects of shortages in irrigation and drinking water on children of a rural village in Sri Lanka. Children are the first to be affected by any change to the physical environment. Depletion of water resources due to global warming and its effects on child health is a topic to which attention of paediatricians has been drawn[1,2,3,4]. Sri Lanka is not spared from global warming. Problems of drought affected communities in the ‘dry zones’ of the country have worsened due to reduction in seasonal rainfall and rising temperature. We report on the health of children of a rural community seriously challenged by water shortage, resulting from changed rainfall patterns
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