Diarrhoeal diseases, such as cholera, are increasingly becoming a major threat throughout the world, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned on Tuesday.
In 2007 and 2008, around 60 per cent of all national requests for IFRC emergency funds were directly or indirectly related to outbreaks of acute diarrhoeal diseases, which is about 35 per cent more compared to similar statistics in 2006, the agency said in a statement.
"We have noticed a significant increase in the number of operations undertaken to respond to acute situations, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, most recently in Zimbabwe," said Uli Jaspers, Head of IFRC Water and Sanitation team in Geneva.
"This trend is the combined result of poor hygiene practices, lack of awareness of disease transmission and a shortage of safe water," Jaspers said.
The situation is further complicated by the effects of climate change which have led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of floods and related epidemics, he added.
The IFRC is currently working closely with governments and humanitarian partners to step up an effective response to the situation. Efforts include the training of a global network of volunteers to conduct awareness-raising programmes.
"As we mark World Water Day on March 22, we need to remember that nearly a billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water," said Dominique Praplan, Head of IFRC Health and Care Department in Geneva.
"Ensuring that people have basic knowledge to avoid infection from water-borne diseases is fundamental if we are to reduce the number of deaths caused by the consumption of infected water," he said.