Brazilian Sanitation Abstract
Unfortunately, many countries fail to offer the vital necessity of sanitation for their population. The Federative Republic of Brazil, in particular, provides one of the worst public health systems known to man. According to UNICEF and the World Health Organization, 46 million in Brazil do not have basic access to sanitation. This lack of public cleanliness is characterized by a shrinking amount of potable water, unorganized waste management, and industrial pollution. Brazil’s national hygiene system has been going downhill for centuries, and in some regions citizens now fear for their future water supply. Of almost 200,000 inhabitants in Brazil, about 2/3 do not have access to basic sanitation. Most of these people do not dispose of their waste properly; an estimated 53% of the population is not connected to the main sewage system. People are dumping tons of waste into the rivers without realizing the consequences; this is contaminating their drinking water supply. These issues are causing further problems with the health of the people; they have contributed to approximately 700,000 extra hospitalizations. Death from infectious, waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera, are extremely common among children. Public ignorance and government withdrawal are only adding to the problem and rendering the population helpless.
However, the fact remains that there have been several tentative steps from the Brazilian government towards fixing the problem. In the early 1970s, it launched its national sanitation plan, PLANSA; its main achievement has been to distribute the sanitation responsibilities throughout the country, giving them to state powers rather than local municipalities. This resulted in the creation of new water and sanitation companies in each Brazilian state, which in turn became responsible to fund sanitation systems. In the end, the system backfired because the state rejected its duties, claiming they fell to the companies who couldn’t fulfill them as the power remained in local management. In the year 2000, the Brazilian government joined the Millennium Development Goals initiative, aimed to decrease by 50% the number of people in need of sanitation and clean water by 2015. However, at its current rate of improvement, only half the goal will be reached, the government needs to put as much emphasis on sanitation as it does on water access.
Sanitation is essential for all human beings. Every community requires clean water and a certain level of hygiene to sustain itself. Water and hygiene are essential to human health and sustainability, and without a solution these increasingly helpless civilizations will soon hit rock bottom. Although the government is making attempts to remediate, Brazil’s situation isn’t progressing fast enough. Drastic measures must be taken to create restrictions on companies to implement water-purifying techniques and better water drainage and waste treatment systems, and to educate the public about the importance of sanitation. To finance these potential projects, the government needs to encourage and create incentives for companies to invest, such as tax breaks and grant money. We must strive to show Brazil that sanitation is not a commodity.
In order for Brazil to achieve universal sanitation, we must offer assistance. The United States should step forward and provide support and request to the U.N. to pressure Brazil to come forward with a plan for public health. With many nations encouraging immediate change, the Brazilian government will undoubtedly take a firm hand in solving this crisis.
Unfortunately, many countries fail to offer the vital necessity of sanitation for their population. The Federative Republic of Brazil, in particular, provides one of the worst public health systems known to man. According to UNICEF and the World Health Organization, 46 million in Brazil do not have basic access to sanitation. This lack of public cleanliness is characterized by a shrinking amount of potable water, unorganized waste management, and industrial pollution. Brazil’s national hygiene system has been going downhill for centuries, and in some regions citizens now fear for their future water supply. Of almost 200,000 inhabitants in Brazil, about 2/3 do not have access to basic sanitation. Most of these people do not dispose of their waste properly; an estimated 53% of the population is not connected to the main sewage system. People are dumping tons of waste into the rivers without realizing the consequences; this is contaminating their drinking water supply. These issues are causing further problems with the health of the people; they have contributed to approximately 700,000 extra hospitalizations. Death from infectious, waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera, are extremely common among children. Public ignorance and government withdrawal are only adding to the problem and rendering the population helpless.
However, the fact remains that there have been several tentative steps from the Brazilian government towards fixing the problem. In the early 1970s, it launched its national sanitation plan, PLANSA; its main achievement has been to distribute the sanitation responsibilities throughout the country, giving them to state powers rather than local municipalities. This resulted in the creation of new water and sanitation companies in each Brazilian state, which in turn became responsible to fund sanitation systems. In the end, the system backfired because the state rejected its duties, claiming they fell to the companies who couldn’t fulfill them as the power remained in local management. In the year 2000, the Brazilian government joined the Millennium Development Goals initiative, aimed to decrease by 50% the number of people in need of sanitation and clean water by 2015. However, at its current rate of improvement, only half the goal will be reached, the government needs to put as much emphasis on sanitation as it does on water access.
Sanitation is essential for all human beings. Every community requires clean water and a certain level of hygiene to sustain itself. Water and hygiene are essential to human health and sustainability, and without a solution these increasingly helpless civilizations will soon hit rock bottom. Although the government is making attempts to remediate, Brazil’s situation isn’t progressing fast enough. Drastic measures must be taken to create restrictions on companies to implement water-purifying techniques and better water drainage and waste treatment systems, and to educate the public about the importance of sanitation. To finance these potential projects, the government needs to encourage and create incentives for companies to invest, such as tax breaks and grant money. We must strive to show Brazil that sanitation is not a commodity.
In order for Brazil to achieve universal sanitation, we must offer assistance. The United States should step forward and provide support and request to the U.N. to pressure Brazil to come forward with a plan for public health. With many nations encouraging immediate change, the Brazilian government will undoubtedly take a firm hand in solving this crisis.
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