Question

Describe the principal reserves for water using specific resources and/or data. Which areas of the world have adequate supplies, and which ones are facing a chronic shortage? What are the public health implications of both situations?

Answer 1

Water is the most important for maintaining an adequate food supply and a productive environment for the human population and for other animals, plants, and microbes worldwide. As human populations and economies grow, global freshwater demand has been increasing.

Humans obtain their nutrients from crops and livestock, and these nutrient sources require water, land, and energy for production.

Food supplies have declined to a great extend over the past 2 decades, because of an increase in human population and shortages of fresh water and cropland. Shortages in food supplies have contributed to the global problem of malnourished people in the world. Population growth, accompanied by increased water use, will not only severely reduce water availability per person but also create stress on biodiversity in the entire global ecosystem.

Two of the most serious malnutrition problems are iron deficiency, and protein or calorie deficiency. The factors that limit water availability are rainfall, temperature, evaporation rates, soil quality, vegetation type, and water runoff.

There are some countries who have good resources of fresh water like Brazil, Russia, United State Canada and China as they have large number of rivers, lakes and also man made reservoirs.

But there are also some countries greatest water shortages like Middle East Countries, some of the countries of African Provience.

The environment affects our health in a variety of ways. The interaction between human health and the environment has been extensively studied and the risks have proved to impact human health, directly by exposing people to harmful agents, or indirectly, by disrupting life-sustaining ecosystems. However, the exact cause of environmental factors to the death and disease cannot be precisely determined

The environmental burden of diseases is higher in developing countries than in developed countries, due to differences in environmental risks and access to health care.

However, environmental health hazards are not limited to the developing world. Environmental risks are also in wealthier countries and are primarily contributed to urban air and water pollution.

The ecosystems could lead to existing diseases such as malaria and cholera, as well as risk of new diseases emerging. Climate change is also posing risks to human population health and well-being, which is a serious concern worldwide.

This concludes that climate change is expected to increase morbidity and mortality risks from climate-sensitive health outcomes such as heat events, floods, droughts and fires. A spread in vector borne diseases, like malaria and cholera.

The exposure to environmental risk can be reduced by enhancing air quality and access to improved sources of drinking and bathing water, sanitation and clean energy. This can be associated with significant health benefits and can contribute to the achievement of environmental health and development.