Bangladesh is located in the delta of three major rivers – the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna. The country is criss-crossed by 230 rivers. Flooding is a yearly occurrence during and after the monsoon season (June-October). The Ganges is a particularly polluted river and a breeding ground for cholera. In addition, the water from rain and the melting snows in the Himalayas are contaminated with naturally occuring arsenic and accumulate in the low-lying areas in Bangladesh. In the 1970’s, aid agencies and western engineers dug shallow tube wells to address the problem of surface water contamination and pollution. However, the naturally occurring arsenic in these shallow tube wells was not discovered until the early 1990’s. Arsenic is four times more poisonous than mercury. Drinking water contaminated with arsenic causes chronic toxicity. Almost all organs of the body are affected with clinical symptoms appearing after 6 months to 2 years or more, depending on the amount ingested over time. Several organ systems of the body can be affected. The skin will show pigment changes, thickened plaques, and various types of cancer. The liver will become enlarged, cirrhotic, with secondary jaundice and hypertension. There can be hearing loss and peripheral nerve damage in the hands, feet, arms and legs. There can be poor circulation to hand and feet with temperature intolerances and color changes in the skin. Goiter or diabetes mellitus may occur if the thyroid gland and pancreas are involved. In the late stages of toxicity, there can be cancer of the skin, lungs and bladder. Read more about arsenic poisoning at Wikipedia.org.
Although technically the arsenic problem is simple to solve, the number of people affected and the poverty of the country make it an overwhelming challenge. It is estimated that 70 million people are at risk of arsenic poisoning. Arsenic can be removed from the water with sand filters and chemical de-arsination techniques. Or, as LHCB has chosen to do, dig deep tube wells over 600 feet deep through an impermeable ground layer to the uncontaminated water beneath. Attention to proper grouting of these wells is essential to prevent mixing of the clean, deep ground water with shallow contaminated water. The hospital is located in the village of Dumki, Patuakhali District, identified as a contamination free district. LHCB partners with ELCA’s Global Mission in the Safe Water and Arsenic Mitigation Project (SWAM) in the Gopalganj, Madaripur and Barisal districts digging deep tube wells in these highly contaminated areas. During the first 2 years of this project, 152 wells were dug, and in 2007, LHCB will drill seventy-two more wells. Read more about arsenic contamination of groundwater at Wikipedia.org.
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In addition to the digging of deep tube wells, LHCB focuses on different sub districts each year, targeting sanitation and the installation of latrines. With the digging of a deep tube well, installation of latrines, and health education for the women and children, the improved health and well being of entire villages is possible.