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Protected by copyright laws. You must reference Patricia Egenton as author of work. Violations are punishable by law.TRANSCRIPT
Arsenic in the Groundwater of the Red River Delta Vietnam
Patricia Egenton RN BSN CEN CCRNJune 26, 2009
Crisis: Arsenic in the Tubewells
In the 1970’s the United Nations placed tubewells throughout Asia to access groundwater that lied below the surface to provide safe, clean drinking water to the people
Prior to this initiative they had been getting ill from drinking surface water
As the years went on people began to develop diseases and cancers associated with arsenic exposure
The tubewells were the sourceArsenic was leaking into the groundwater from natural
sources and environmental sources
The Red River Delta
Located in the Northern part of VietnamClose to the capital of HanoiDensely populatedRiver provides transport of goods in and out of
Vietnam and China; polluting the riverHalf the country’s rice crops are grown hereHalf the tubewells that service the Delta are
contaminated with high levels of arsenic
Map of VietnamThe Red River Delta is the area in the north between Hanoi and the Gulf of Tonkin
The darker red shades show dense areas of population. The Red River Delta is the most populated area in the north.
A Public Health Threat
Vietnam’s health care system is a mix of public and private coverage
Even with a public health system many go uninsured if they are above the poverty level but cannot afford private coverage
If such a dense population continues to be exposed, more problems will surface as the young people age
THE FOLLOWING SLIDE SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF HEALTH COVERAGE IN VIETNAM
The Health Care Plans in Vietnam
Compul-satory Insur-ance
Voluntary Insurance
Uninsured0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
School Children & StudentsPrivate PayYoung Children's FundSocial Health InsuranceHealth Care Fund for the Poor
Source: Vietnam Social Security 2007
Economic Success at Risk
1. Vietnam’s largest exportsa. crude oilb. textilesc. riced. coffee2. Poverty rates 1998 = 37% 2006 = 16%
WOW
Ensuring Healthy Human Resources for Continued Economic Success and Growth
Human resources continue to be in demandSick human resources will drain health care system
and cripple economic growth Infants, toddlers and small children are at higher risks
due to exponential growth periods If the children there today are going to enjoy the
same economic successes, opportunities and growth, they are going to need to be healthy
Vietnam should invest in protecting these specific subgroups to ensure their nations economic stability and growth
What about other groups?
Is choosing to focus on the younger
population social injustice?
Present Initiatives
The World Health Organization, a subdivision of the United Nations, has installed sand filters in many of the tubewells throughout Asia
However, a lot of attention and resources have been focused on Bangladesh where the arsenic levels are higher
The WHO needs to be equitable with resources, since the UN installed them Learn from successes and failures in Bangladesha) are people using the filtered water?b) are people forced to walk farther to the pumps fitted with the filters?c) cost – are they cost efficient?d) education – measure impact?e) funding – private and public options to supplement The WHO’s initiative? f) replacing used filters ? when? who is tracking?g) constant measuring of arsenic levels is necessaryh) constant measuring of arsenic exposure in populations is necessary to
determine effectiveness
Nursing : At the forefront of health maintenance and health education
What the Vietnamese nursing community can do NOW to help keep their people healthy and avoid overexposure to the arsenic contaminated water:
Choose one population to focus on
Evidence based research suggests focusing on pregnant women and growing children
Provide household unit filters as part of prenatal care Educate mothers Communicate via email for convenience
Continue filter use through infancySend replacement reminders and vouchers
Lobby The WHO
to add filters to school
tubewells
Take advantage of the more educated parent and educate the importance of
continuing to protect toddlers
and young children against arsenic
exposure
Monitor progress and compliance to support evidence
based practice
Support your nursing colleagues in Vietnam
What can you do?
a) write to The World Health Organizationb) verbalize the importance of nursing’s role monitoring people’s arsenic levels when using sand filters initiate school programs prenatal care education and distribution programsc) join professional organizations and attend global work groupsd) write to health officials in Vietnam
Collectively, nurses can put pressure on government health officials and influence change
Organize a nursing initiative to give web support to nurses in Vietnam about global safe water practices and educate the nurses there so they feel empowered to make a difference in their communities
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Visit the following websites:
http://ww2.waterforpeople.org/pdfs/News/Articles/ArsenicWPC_1006.pdf
http://www.waterforpeople.org/site/News2?id=5615
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs210/en/
Water is precious! Do not waste it!