School Children and Drinking Water

  Written by: Muhammad Nasir Sirat

If we compare the hildren to older, the children are physically weak and they need more water to drink in hot weather. Some schoolchildren are drinking contaminated water in the schools or on the way to school and this water causes them some health problems.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some people about this issue.

Faizullah, a resident of  Qarabagh district, Kabul province says: “Once I drank water from a stream on the way to school. Later I suffered from stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.”

Fatana Sabori, a resident of Kapisa province says: "One day my small sister drank water from the stream along the way to school. Blood came from her nose and she faced stomach ache too.”

Doctor Ahmad Jaweed Sabah, an infectious disease specialist says: “with the climate changes in the summer, different varieties of diseases spread in the area. When a school child drinks contaminated water in a school or from a stream, he/she might face some diseases like diarrhea, H. pylori, amoebae, typhoid, food poisoning, and stomach ache. If the diarrhea patient does not treat on time, he/ she would face dehydration and would cause problems in kidneys and other organs of the body and might let the patient to death.”

What do people think about the causes of drinking contaminated water on the way to school?

A student, Maqbola says: “during the summer, opened wells’ water and school water supplies get contaminated with microbes and drinking contaminated water causes diseases.”

Faheem, a resident of Bagram district, Parwan province says: “I think the water supplies of the schools are not washed on time and their water become contaminated and when school children drink it, they become sick.”

Doctor Sabah says: “Most microbes are found in the environment, water and foods. When a child drinks water from an uncovered well or a stream, his/her eyes could not see the harmful bacteria, parasites, and infections. This is why water  might not be safe to drink and it causes the school children to be affected by various types of diseases.”

How could families, school administration and student find a solution to this issue?

Nasir Ahmad, a teacher of one the school of Kapisa province says: “our water supply of the school was not covered and student were always complaining from diseases. Our school administration contacted the education department. They built a big water tank supply. Now we regularly check its water, use chlorine and keep locked the supply and now have no problem with safe drinking water.”

Nafisa, an eighth-grade student says: “We had problems with drinking water at school. Our classmates brought a big water cooler jug and we fill it with safe water and also we bring safe water from our homes in small bottles for drinking."