Recent studies sought to demonstrate the interdependence between water quality, undernutrition and diarrhea with nuanced results. However, an international consensus is emerging on the positive influence of WASH actions on stunting and its corollaries, as well as the need to transform practices to fit specific contexts (local exposure landscape to enteric diseases) to make the most of joint interventions. (1)
New publications confirm the need to pursue efforts to integrate practices, and validate the partnership started between Nutriset and Aquatabs® (Kersia / Medentech) in 2018 to facilitate the implementation of "WASH'Nutrition" interventions.
The effectiveness of Aquatabs®, a reference product for home water disinfection, has been demonstrated in emergency situations: chlorination of large volumes of water in endemic cholera areas in Tanzania has recently been reported in a study by the CDC, UNICEF and the Red Cross, with convincing results. (2)
The impact of water chlorination at the point of collection, as observed with Aquatabs® Flo, demonstrates a 25% reduction in prevalence of diarrhea in the intervention group as well as a significant reduction in health expenditures. (3)
In addition, as part of a severe acute malnutrition management program, during a study in Chad (4) , ACF teams identified the impact of water quality on the reduction of treatment length and recovery rate.
In Pakistan, as part of a CMAM (5) program integrating water treatment at the point-of-use, with products such as Aquatabs®, researchers measured a significant improvement in the recovery rates of malnourished children (from 16.7 to 22.2%). (6)
Finally, programs combining WASH and nutrition should be valued for cost/efficiency reasons. Compared to an approach where actions are dissociated, the WASH'Nutrition combination reduces the cost per child treated. In this regard, a study shows that the use of Aquatabs® is the most effective strategy. (7)
The partnership between Nutriset and Aquatabs® is based on values shared by both companies, serving one objective: to reinforce the nutritional impact of programs and to contribute to the nutritional autonomy for all in a global health approach.
Discover the product offering WASH'Nutrition, with Aquatabs® in the Nutriset catalog.
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Reference
(1) https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-019-1410-x
(2) https://www.ajtmh.org/content/journals/10.4269/ajtmh.18-0734
(3) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(19)30315-8/fulltext
(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29488461
(5) CMAM = Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition
(6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6190070/
(7) “The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for Aquatabs was 24 US dollars (USD), making it the most cost-effective strategy” Ref: https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2019.1568827
