13ème Congrès Mondial de l'Eau, Montpellier, France

abstract 941

Water, sanitation services and children’s health in the poor areas in Abidjan (CÔTE D’IVOIRE)

Author(s): Jean Stéphane Claon, Ibrahima Berthé, Mutsipayi Jibikilayi, Luc Kouadio
Berthé Ibrahima (1); Jibikilayi Mutsipayi ; Kouadio Luc (2) (1)Office Nationale de l'Eau Potable (ONEP) (2)UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques-Université de Cocody-Abidjan

Keyword(s): water acces. sanitation. slum. children health. Abidjan. Côte d'Ivoire

Article:
Poster:

Session: Poster session 4

AbstractIntroduction and objectives

With

a population of 3 million inhabitants, Abidjan the economic capital of COTE d’IVOIRE has known according to the

figures of UNICEF (1996) one of the most important growth in Sub-Saharan
Africa (4.2%). This situation is due

to the fact that the military and political crisis prevailing in the country since 2002 has increased the population

growth by 1.5 million people toward the southern part of COTE d’IVOIRE. The overexploitation of the water

supplies and the sanitation has been the main causes of the shortage of water estimated at 68% and an increase of

water supplies as well as the sanitation system especially in the poor areas (CAP, 2007).
This study based on the

repeated difficult access to water and the urbanization aims at assessing the access to water, the sanitation system as

well as its consequences related to health in the poor areas of Abidjan.

Methods
The present study was

carried in 2007 using a questionnaire based on an interview. The thematic used were related to the problems of

access, the use of water, the sanitation and the health of the children under 5. The sample was chosen at random at

two levels completed from the database of COTE d’IVOIRE’s census. One thousand families were selected in 21

poor areas from five communes of the city.

Results
Our survey took into account a population of 360,073

households which compose a population of about 158,000 inhabitants. The family’s access to the municipal water

network was 23% but 10% of the households was connected to its. The supply of drinking water also came from

street water sellers (75%) as well as the wells (27%). For the domestic use, the families resorted to the sellers

(69%), wells (45%) and rains (6%). The storing of water in non-hygienic way was observed in 45% households.

The independent water sanitation facilities (62%) and the open defecation (19%) were the most use sanitation

services. Regarding health measures, 27% families were concerned by a case of diarrhea affecting at least a child

under 5.

Conclusion
In the poor areas the access to running water and the sanitation is a major stake for the

population’s health particularly the one of the children. Considering the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the

improvement of the urban infrastructures as well as the population health measures education are regarded as

solutions for the simultaneous implementation for the population development.

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Water, sanitation services and children’s health in the poor areas in Abidjan (CÔTE D’IVOIRE)