Arsenic Contamination in Drinking Water Lack of Awareness

Lack of Awareness in Khulna Division Arsenic is treated by World Health Organization as the largest mass poisoning of a population in history in Bangladesh (WHO, 2002). Arsenic poisoning through drinking water results pigmentation of skin; enlargement of kidney, liver and lungs; failure of kidney and liver; jaundice etc. Finally it can even forward to death causing cancer of skin, lungs and bladder. In Khulna division, the administrative region of south-west Bangladesh is facing the problem as critical public health issue at present due to lack of awareness. In this area, about 16 million people from different 10 districts are under high risk of arsenic poisoning (BBS, a, 2011). In the Goal 7 of MDG, a target has been set for Bangladesh to achieve Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water (BBS, b. 2010). For fighting against the prevailing arsenic disaster it is highly need to raise awareness and expedite education to the people of the area. Government agencies and several NGOs are working in this area for mitigation of this problem by sensitization, advocating, educating for alternative safe water sources etc. Even though, the awareness level is not pleasing at all. In Table-1, data from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey is showing the proportion of arsenic contamination and having awareness in Khulna division scrutinizes the argument. In Khulna division, as per WHO standard.