Abstract
Residents of informal settlements, the world over, suffer consequences due to the lack of drainage and greywater management, impacting human and environmental health. In Brazil, the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in urban areas promotes infections of the Zika virus as well as companion viruses, such as dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. By using observation and interviews with the community, this paper shows how a simple sustainable drainage system approach could prevent the accumulation of on-street standing water, and thus reduce opportunities for the mosquito to breed and reduce infection rates. During the interview phase, it became apparent that underlying misinformation and misunderstandings prevail related to existing environmental conditions in favelas and the role of the mosquito in infecting residents. This inhibits recommendations made by professionals to reduce breeding opportunities for the disease vector. Whilst unrest is an issue in favelas, it is not the only issue preventing the human right to reliable, safe sanitation, including drainage. In “pacified” favelas which may be considered safe(r), the infrastructure is still poor and is not connected to the city-wide sanitation/treatment networks.
Highlights
This paper is based on a British Council Newton Institutional Links Award between the UK and Brazil, focused on reducing the incidence of infection of the Zika virus (ZIKV), mainly transmitted by the bite of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito
Whilst found in 94% of the country, the highest density of ZIKV infections and microcephaly cases were found mainly in Brazil’s most populated areas, in the northeast and southeast of the country, including Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo; areas typically associated with many informal settlements
Observations have identified the potential to use Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in favelas to target issues related to the lack of drainage or greywater management by installing structures to encourage infiltration of contaminated surface water into the ground, reducing the opportunity and locations for mosquitoes to breed
Summary
This paper is based on a British Council Newton Institutional Links Award between the UK and Brazil, focused on reducing the incidence of infection of the Zika virus (ZIKV), mainly transmitted by the bite of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito. ZIKV has potentially devastating effects on unborn children, with a variety of congenital and developmental conditions, including microcephaly, which, in the worst cases, substantially impacts their development. Whilst found in 94% of the country, the highest density of ZIKV infections and microcephaly cases were found mainly in Brazil’s most populated areas, in the northeast and southeast of the country, including Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (see Figure 1; [1]); areas typically associated with many informal settlements. There are a variety of terminologies used to describe and define informal settlements; in Brazil, favela or subnormal agglomeration are generally used, the latter introduced by [2], whereby the settlement has the following characteristics: An illegal occupation, construction of which took place on land belonging to others; or where title to the land was established in the last 10 years; Includes one, or both of the following: a.
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