Agenzia Fides

Kaolack (Agenzia Fides) - The campaign initiated in these past 12 months by the Catholic Spanish organization Manos Unidas La salud, derecho de todos: ¡Actua! is about to end, which has been busy around the world to try to cope with some diseases that particularly affect the most vulnerable populations. Among the emergencies dealt with are , leprosy, AIDS, tuberculosis, Chagas disease, premature birth, disability. The campaign ends in Senegal in Kaolack region where two purifiers for highly calcareous water were implanted in the area that causes health problems of various kinds. In fact in this region more than half of the wells distributes water with a high percentage of fluorine and salt which, in addition to having an unpleasant taste, causes disturbances in particular to children, such as dental fluorosis, brown staining of the teeth, as well as bone fluorosis. The two purifiers were inaugurated in the mission of Keur Mariama, in Kaolack, one of the most affected regions in Senegal by the drought, where the high salinity of the water does not help the people who live mainly of agriculture and cattle breeding. For more than 7 years the Discalced Carmelites, in the parish of Keur Mariama have been working in the area, seeking solutions to the water problem. After the first technical interventions, thanks to which they managed to channel the water in 8 villages, they went ahead in the research with the University of Cheickh Anta Diop, in Dakar, and other international agencies. Digging deeper they were able to achieve better water quality. In the month of October 2012 two water purification units were installed thanks to which 1,800 people will directly benefit from. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 24/01/2013)