Diarrhoea and effects of different water sources, sanitation and hygiene behaviour in East Africa. Tumwine, J.K. et al.

A brief summary of the above article is as follows.

Ill health related to inadequate water sanitation and supply is "one of the most significant concerns" in many developing countries and is one of the primary causes of many childhood illnesses and poor health in parts of East Africa. 

The objective of the study was to carry out a repeat analysis of domestic water use and environmental health in East Africa. Measurements were taken in the amount of water collected, recordings of the amount of water use at home taken, socio-demographic analysis of household characteristics taken, prevalence of diarrhoea, state and use of latrines and the sources of water and conditions of use.

Of the 1015 surveyed households in 33 sites in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya between the years 1967-1997 the following results were recorded for the prevalence of Diarrhoea in these area.

• Kenya, increase from 6%-18%
• Uganda, increase from 16%-21%
• Tanzania, decline from 11%-18%

The main determinants of diarrhoea morbidity included poor hygiene due to unsafe disposal of faeces and wastewater, the education level of household head, where water was obtained from (surface sources or wells) and per capita water used for cleaning.

(WHO/UNICEF, 2000) 

*4 billion cases of diarrhoea each year. 2.2 million deaths, most of which occur un children under the age of 5.

*In Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, approx 42 million people do not have access to improved water supply and 13 million do not have access to improved sanitation facilities.

Water supply coverage refers to the proportion of  with adequate access to safe drinking water in a dwelling or located within a convenient distance from the user’s dwelling. Reasonable access implies that the housewife does not have to spend a disproportionate part of the day fetching water for the family’s needs; 200 m is regarded as a convenient distance (Rosen & Vincent 1999).

Sanitation service coverage is generally defined as the proportion of the population with access to at least adequate excreta disposal facilities that can effectively prevent human, animal and insect contact with excreta. Suitable facilities range from simple but protected pit latrines to flush toilets with sewerage (WHO 1996). 

Study suggests that benefits of services improvements to diarrhoea morbidity were 25% from improved water availability, 22% from improved excreta disposal, and 16% from water quality improvements.