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Diarrhoea still kills 2.2 million children every year. That was the stark reminder from HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange yesterday at the Annual Awards ceremony of The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health. Speaking of the links between water and health, the Prince reiterated the key messages from the report 'No Water, No Future' which he produced for Kofi Annan in preparation for the 2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit. 'The first and most straightforward link between water and health is the need for safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Poor sanitation can contaminate both ground and surface water supplies and it is a main source of waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A. Diarrhoea alone kills 2.2 million young children in the developing world every year. Many others suffer from adverse effects of diarrhoea, like poor nutrition, stunted mental and physical growth, greater vulnerability to other deadly diseases and inability to attend school.' The second area he highlighted was the sustainable management of ecosystems. 'This is important for the poor, because they rely so heavily on these systems for their livelihoods,' said the Prince. 'The crucial role of water in food security, and hence good nutrition, is a key health issue.' The third issue we need to tackle is waste water and pollution. 'Internationally, there is a growing awareness of pollution caused by the disposal of untreated industrial waste water, agricultural runoff and toxic substances. We should continue working together to bring about adequate waste water management. This includes not only research into the impact of pollution on health but also effective advocacy aimed at putting research results into action.' The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health is committed to playing its role as an effective advocate for the changes the Prince has outlined, and will call for the Johannesburg objectives to be delivered in full and on time. Society Chief Executive Stuart Royston said 'We are delighted that HRH Prince Willem-Alexander was able to come to London to receive his award personally. This confirms the commitment of leading world figures to achieving progress on the Johannesburg water and sanitation goals, which we fully support.'
1. HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange was presented with the J W Starkey Award by Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent at The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health's Annual Awards Ceremony at The Savoy Hotel, London, on 30th June 2003. 2. The full text of The Prince's speech can be viewed here. 3. Images of the Prince receiving his award will be available shortly here, priced £15 each. 4. The Earth Summit in Johannesburg set the following targets on water and health: to halve the proportion of people without access to sanitation and to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015. 5. The Prince of Orange is the heir presumptive to the Dutch crown. 6. The Prince of Orange is an honorary member of the World Commission on Water for 21st Century and Patron of the Global Water Partnership. Last year, the Prince participated in the UN Panel of Eminent Persons in preparation of the Johannesburg Summit. The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health is the largest and longest-established public health organisation in the UK. We were founded in 1876 to promote joined up thinking between health professionals and we are a networking organisation that cuts across traditional professional boundaries. |