Sanitation: The Overlooked and Under-Appreciated Life Saver
Sanitation is an often overlooked but very important component of public health. The United States government has an HIV/AIDS Coordinator, a Malaria Coordinator, and an Avian Influenza Coordinator. However, if we really wanted to focus on saving the lives of children worldwide, we would have a global diarrhea coordinator. As Rose George writes in the article below, "excrement is the real weapon of mass destruction." Alas, it is not a sexy public health issue and celebrities are unlikely to rally around this cause. But in countries such as Haiti, providing adequate sanitation is an essential part of promoting public health. The full article is below.
