Relação entre custos de sistemas de abastecimento de água e esgotamento sanitário com saúde pública em Bissau, Guiné-Bissau

Abstract

There has been evidence of a relationship between death, disease, and lack of basic sanitation in the contemporary era, which is both a public health issue and a challenge for the new millennium. The poor countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have deficit sanitary sewage and water supply infrastructure, which leads to the proliferation of waterborne diseases in urban areas. This degree study has evaluated the cost ratio of public health and the implementation of water and sewage systems in the capital of Guinea-Bissau. Six scenarios were analyzed, including three options for the sanitary sewage system (a collective system with a collection network and a sewage collection station; an individual simplified latrine system; and a complete collective system with a collection network, a lift station, and a sewage treatment plant), and two scenario options for the water supply system (a direct capture system, and a complete system with capture, storage, and distribution). As for public health, the costs with social assistance programs, drugs, vaccines, and hospitalizations related to waterborne diseases were considered, with no distinction of sanitary sewage and water supply-related diseases. The cost ratio of 4.05 for the most efficient basic sanitation scenario was similar to the value found in literature. In other words, for every dollar invested in basic sanitation there are approximate savings of 4.3 dollars in health.